MINT**Post 1952 British Wilkinson Sword Ltd QE II Royal Household Clam Shell Court Sword With Blued & Etched Panels Blade, Gilt Hilt Fitted With Bullion Cord & Portepee & Scabbard. Sn 23573 Sword

**MINT**Post 1952 British Wilkinson Sword Ltd QE II Royal Household Clam Shell Court Sword With Blued & Etched Panels Blade, Gilt Hilt Fitted With Bullion Cord & Portepee & Scabbard. Sn 23573 - 23573

The small sword (also court sword, French: épée de cour or dress sword) is a light one-handed sword designed for thrusting which evolved out of the longer and heavier rapier of the late Renaissance. The height of the small sword's popularity was between mid 17th and late 18th century. It is thought to have appeared in France and spread quickly across the rest of Europe. The small sword was the immediate predecessor of the French dueling sword from which the épée developed (see page 280 of Wither’s book ‘World Swords’ where British Royal Court Swords are illustrated). This is a mint British Queen Elizabeth II Royal Household Court Small Sword by Wilkinson Sword made post 1952 in the form of mid 17th to Victorian Era examples. It has an ornate cast gilt hilt with cross guard & clam shell. It has a bar knuckle guard & urn type pommel. The guard is fitted with bullion tape cord & portepee. The slim 32 ¼” blade is straight, undamaged and clean. The blade has etched & blued panels on both sides with foliate decoration & Queen’s crown above ‘ER II’ (Elizabeth II Regina). One side has a panel with the maker’s name Wilkinson Sword Ltd & crossed Swords legend below QEII Royal Appointment. The blade has its original red leather hilt washer. The sword measures 38” overall. It is complete with its original equally mint condition leather scabbard which has gilt brass mounts. The throat mount has a shield form frog bar. The price for this mint Royal Household court sword includes UK delivery. Sn 23573

£475.00