These old British cavalry swords are the most fascinating and historic weapons ever IMO, as my earliest collecting days began with them in the mid 60s.
I have a totally unmarked version of the M1796 light cavalry (iilustrated), so hard to tell of course if these are together as originally issued. It seems unusual to have the scabbard marked as to maker, as far as I have known only regimental marks and rack numbers were applied. I am curious if there are particulars in this use of scabbard markings.
I am also curious about these swords with unit marks on the hilt and contrary unit marks on the scabbard. I have thought that these situations evolved from field circumstances where a rider lost his sword, whether killed or wounded and his scabbard remained attached to him.
If in the aftermath swords were collected off the field, perhaps by forces retrieving them for further use? perhaps battlefield swords and scabbards taken from either killed or wounded were compiled into stores. Later it was a matter of simply matching suitable scabbards to like swords...markings irrelevant.
Theoretical.... as these types of circumstances as far as I have known are not part of studies of military units, battles, events. Another of those historic elements considered mundane and not pertinent to the larger scope of study.
I have a M1796 heavy cavalry sword with scabbard marked entirely different unit than on the hilt, and another's hilt was unmarked and only scabbard marked.
Regarding Wooley, his 1788 blades were marked on the spine simply Wooley, no scabbard on this.
The brass stirrup hilt (illustrated)was thought to be a cavalry saber when I got it back in the 70s, and is marked WOOLEY & DEAKIN. In those day(per Annis & May) the Wooley name in this pairing existed only 1800-1803.
Much research done since then has revealed far more detail which has the years of the partnership a bit more expanded.
The black fluted grip is interesting as this is a French convention, and Wooley, IMO, always seemed to follow that in the elements of his hilts, his use of the Montmorency blades. However I have seen another hilt like this but by EGG.
At present, I think this is a British officers cutlass, fighting version.
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