British Board Of Ordnance 1845 Pattern Royal Navy Boarding Cutlass Weapon Number ‘172’ Regulation Converted Slender Blade C1887 / 1888. Sn 22296 Sword

British Board Of Ordnance 1845 Pattern Royal Navy Boarding Cutlass Weapon Number ‘172’ Regulation Converted Slender Blade C1887 / 1888. Sn 22296 - 22296

The British Royal Navy due to its global presence and command of the sea was by far the most organised and trained of all the World major sea services and it's edged weapons used for boarding and repelling boarders reflected this. The Royal Navy was one of the first Navies in the 18th Century to begin standardising the personal edged weapons used by ordinary seaman. Experiments during the early 1840s for a new naval cutlass design to replace the venerable 1804 Pattern resulted in a design by George Lovell, the Inspector of Small Arms, being accepted in 1842. A fire at the Tower of London destroyed early stocks and the design did not enter service in bulk until three years later, hence being termed the 1845 Pattern. It was considered very successful, handling well compared to its bulky predecessor the 1804 Pattern and being simpler to manufacture. Many of the 1845 pattern cutlasses were converted in 1887 and 1888 to the new specifications. They had their blades made more slender (see page 248 of World Swords by Withers). Our example is one of the regulation converted blades which would have been performed circa 1887- 1888. It has the classic single edged 28 ½” (34” overall). The blade is 1 ½” broad at its widest and the spine is 5mm width at its widest. The blade has some staining consistent with age & service use. It has the correct full steel bowl knuckle guard and ribbed steel hilt all blackened. The guard is slotted for wrist strap and has an additional period pierced hole. The guard has 2 brass rivets (these would most likely have supported a brass lozenge riveted to the front with a weapon / rack number. The lozenge is absent (Wither’s book illustrates afore described hilt plates). The guard also has engraved ‘BO WD arrow’ Board of Ordnance mark and weapon number ‘172’. These weapons were stored in locked racks on board ships and issued only for training or combat so are often found without scabbards. Only a small number were furnished with scabbards so that with a baldrick they could be worn for land-bound duties. Our example is without scabbard. The price for this piece of British Naval history includes UK delivery. Sn 22296 (tub armoury)

£675.00