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Originally Posted by celtan
Hi guys,
Bryan, your finding is (again) crucial. Indeed, it is the same sword. Mine has a loose shell-guard, not fixed to the cross. The date can now be estimated on a definite basis.
Spanish officer swords from 1860 have similar-looking fish-skin grips, plus german ceremonial swords from the late XIX and early XX Cs have similar end points. That was the base for my dating, which now seems +/- right.
Still, the four columned portcullis in the shield may have some bearing on our blade's final identity.
BTW, does anyone have an image of the ricasso's mark for the retailers "E.Woods & Son Bow St Covent Garden" ?
G,. at least your curators answer Qs. : )
Our local equivalents feel threatened by Qs, and defend the secrecy of their armamentariums to the death. Apparently, their only chance to feel the trappings of power is when denying access to their "wards". We call their type "avocados with ties". To add insult to injury, they don't take good care of the collections. Excuse me for seething...
In the local settings, I actively discourage anyone from donating any historical piece to the govt. Private parties take so-much better care of their collections.
Best regards to all, and an interesting Samhain tomorrow....
Manolo
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Well, we are nearly there!
The 1853 date of Bryans example fits perfectly with the 'gladius' sized/shaped fashion in military swords, so I'd say you've now got a definate 'mid' 19thC date for yours.
As for museum curators, it's suprising to hear that yours are like 'that'
Also rather depressing!
I'm happy to say that I've always found the museums of the UK to be quite the opposite. Somtimes they don't manage to ID things, but they are usually happy to try. I mean the occasional request of course, not a free valuation and ID service (There are auction houses for that! LOL).
Occasionally I will contact a museum as a last resort. It's going to be something pretty obscure if I do, so I guess they can see I'm not walking in with something they see very often.
I'm actually trying to ID a pair of bronze age/roman British bronze bowls at the moment, somewhat unsuccessfully I might add.