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Lot 79

A French Small-Sword Taken By Midshipman Thomas Southey During The Action In Which H.M.S. Mars Captured The French Ship Hercule On 21 April 1798
Late 18th Century

11 May 2016, 13:00 BST
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £1,187.50 inc. premium

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A French Small-Sword Taken By Midshipman Thomas Southey During The Action In Which H.M.S. Mars Captured The French Ship Hercule On 21 April 1798
Late 18th Century

With sharply tapering blade of hollow triangular section (tip missing, light pitting overall), brass hilt retaining faint traces of original gilding and comprising border engraved double shell-guard, one engraved along the upper outer edge 'Tho.s Southay Taken April 21st 1789', lobed quillons, knuckle-guard, faceted globular pommel with button finial, and swelling grip bound with later twisted copper wire
73.7 cm. blade

Footnotes

Exhibited
The Waterloo Museum, Broadstairs, Kent

Provenance
Wallis & Wallis, Militaria, Arms & Armour sale, 16-17 November 1999, lot 1114

Thomas Southey was born on 1 December 1777 and was the younger brother of Robert Southey, the Romantic poet and Poet Laureate. He served as a midshipman on the Mars (74), when it engaged and captured the French ship, Hercule (74), where he was wounded. In 1801, having been promoted to Lieutenant, he served on the Bellona at the Battle of Copenhagen where once again he was wounded. He attained the rank of Captain and later joined the Customs Service. He died at sea in 1838 on his return from Demerara in the West Indies

Additional information

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