British Ordnance Marked Victorian 1845 Pattern Royal Navy Boarding Cutlass. Sn 22266 Sword

British Ordnance Marked Victorian 1845 Pattern Royal Navy Boarding Cutlass. Sn 22266 - 22266

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. This is a very good original Victorian 1845 Pattern boarding Cutlass (see page 248 of World Swords by Withers). Our example has the classic broad single edged 29 ½” blade (34 ½” overall). The blade is just under 1 ½” broad at its widest and the spine is 7mm width at its widest. It has the correct full steel bowl knuckle guard and ribbed steel hilt all blackened. The guard is slotted for wrist strap. The blade has some staining consistent with age & service use and has its original leather hilt washer. Near to the hilt one side of the blade has a ‘crown 13’ British ordnance inspection mark. The spine has faint indistinct partial maker’s name ‘***INGTON’ . 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 22266 (tub armoury)

£675.00