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Lot 126
A Royal Naval Officer's Sword Attributed To NelsonLate 18th Century
18 October 2005, 14:00 BST
Oxford£5,000 - £7,000
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Find your local specialistA Royal Naval Officer's Sword Attributed To Nelson
Late 18th Century
Late 18th Century
With broad unfullered tapering blade with reinforced ricasso double edged towards the point and etched on each side with foliage and crowned 'G.R.' cypher, gilt-copper hilt imitating the shape of a ship's lantern and comprising a D-shaped knuckle-guard and two side-guards with connecting bars between (one cracked) all with geometric engraved decoration, small inner side-guard, cushion pommel, reeded ivory grip with medial gilt-copper band engraved with a fouled anchor within an oval on one side, in its later black leather scabbard with linear gilt-copper mounts retaining one suspension ring
86 cm. blade
86 cm. blade
Footnotes
The sword is accompanied by a framed and glazed affidavit signed by a Mr A.P.R. Willis and dated 19th May 1937 stating that it was acquired from John W. Latham and that it had been in his family since the early 19th Century, the family being manufacturers of swords and gunsmiths since 1772. at one time it had a label attached on which was written "Horatio Nelson H.M.S. (?) 'Foudroyant'" and was always known as 'Nelson's sword' and that it had been left for repair and never collected








