NAPOLEONIC WARS ERA**EARLY VARIANT RIGID GUARD**British John Salter London (Maker To Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson) 1796 Pattern Royal Marine’s Officers Sword With Blue & Gilt Etched Heraldic Arms Fighting Blade & Period Brass Naval Pattern Scabbard. ED 2 Sword

**NAPOLEONIC WARS ERA**EARLY VARIANT RIGID GUARD**British John Salter London (Maker To Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson) 1796 Pattern Royal Marine’s Officers Sword With Blue & Gilt Etched Heraldic Arms Fighting Blade & Period Brass Naval Pattern Scabbard. - ED 2398

The Pattern 1796 British infantry officer's sword was carried by officers of the line infantry in the British Army between 1796 and the time of its official replacement with the gothic hilted sword in 1822. This period encompassed the whole of the Napoleonic Wars. Royal Marines served on board British War Ships during the Napoleonic Wars, seeing combat in Portugal & Northern Spain. John Salter was working as a swordsmith at 35 Strand between 1780 and 1824. The successor to Joseph & Edward Greensill, Salter achieved great fame in his time as a swordsmith, becoming the sword cutler to HRH Duke of Sussex. He also had the honour to make the swords for Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson, and also Lord Exmouth. Additionally Salter was asked to make swords for the Patriotic Fund. This is an original early example of a British 1796 Pattern Infantry Officer's sword by John Salter 35 Strand Pall Mall (see page 159 of World Swords by Withers). It has its regulation brass hilt with correct early variant rigid shell guard. Later variants of the 1796 Infantry sword had folding clamshells. It has the correct knuckle bow. urn shaped pommel and quillon finials which are often found to be missing from these swords. It has a wire bound grip, all very tight and undamaged. It has a 32” long blade with fullers (38 ½” overall). The blade is faintly gilt etched & blued on both sides with partially visible British heraldic arms. The fighting blade is sharp & undamaged and has just staining consistent with age. The spine of the blade is signed by the maker ‘Salter 35 Strand London Pall Mall’. The sword has its period brass Naval pattern scabbard in which it was found indicating that this fighting sword was most likely carried by a Royal Marine Officer aboard a British war ship during the Napoleonic wars. The scabbard has 2 brass hanging rings & brass shoe. The price includes UK delivery. ED 2398

£975.00