Help with sword ID

Mefidk · 15th May 2009, 05:44 PM

Hi folks, I hoped someone might be able to shed a little light on this piece?

This is one of three mystery (to me) pieces that I picked up in an auction lot a year or so ago. The grip is an old replacement with an old makeshift repair. The blade is 70cm long, overall lenght 84cm. The light and flexible blade has one large shallow fuller, is 32.6mm wide along most of its length and 3.3mm wide at the back at the base, terminating in a kilij tip. The guard looks to me like it might be Persian, and from the shape of the grip I wondered if the sword was of Persian origin, but I'm not at all convinced that the guard fits well with the rest of the hilt.

Thanks in advance for the help,
Chris

ALEX · 15th May 2009, 06:07 PM

Chris, the blade reminds me of 18th century European, (English?) pattern blade. The crossguard and hilt are likely later additions, and are of Persian form.

Norman McCormick · 15th May 2009, 07:31 PM

Hi,
The blade looks like it's from a British 1796 Light Cavalry Sabre cut down from the normal length of approx 33 inches. Hope this is of some help.
Regards,
Norman.

P.S. It would appear to have been modified from the hilt end rather than blade tip.

Mefidk · 16th May 2009, 08:59 AM

Thanks gents that is a great help.
Having looked again at the blade with this idea in mind I do believe that you are have it bang on. As I understand it the 1796 saw a lot of use on the Indian continent so perhaps this is a captured blade quickly modified for local use. In any case I'm happy that the mystery is solved since Iwould not have figured this out myself for a long time, if ever.
I'll put up mystery no 2 later and see if it meets with similar success.
Thanks again

15th May 2009, 05:44 PM	#1
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	Help with sword ID Hi folks, I hoped someone might be able to shed a little light on this piece? This is one of three mystery (to me) pieces that I picked up in an auction lot a year or so ago. The grip is an old replacement with an old makeshift repair. The blade is 70cm long, overall lenght 84cm. The light and flexible blade has one large shallow fuller, is 32.6mm wide along most of its length and 3.3mm wide at the back at the base, terminating in a kilij tip. The guard looks to me like it might be Persian, and from the shape of the grip I wondered if the sword was of Persian origin, but I'm not at all convinced that the guard fits well with the rest of the hilt. Thanks in advance for the help, Chris Attached Images

16th May 2009, 08:59 AM	#4
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	Thanks gents that is a great help. Having looked again at the blade with this idea in mind I do believe that you are have it bang on. As I understand it the 1796 saw a lot of use on the Indian continent so perhaps this is a captured blade quickly modified for local use. In any case I'm happy that the mystery is solved since Iwould not have figured this out myself for a long time, if ever. I'll put up mystery no 2 later and see if it meets with similar success. Thanks again Last edited by Mefidk; 16th May 2009 at 11:44 AM. Reason: spelling

15th May 2009, 06:07 PM	#2
ALEX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 936	Chris, the blade reminds me of 18th century European, (English?) pattern blade. The crossguard and hilt are likely later additions, and are of Persian form.

15th May 2009, 07:31 PM	#3
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,596	Hi, The blade looks like it's from a British 1796 Light Cavalry Sabre cut down from the normal length of approx 33 inches. Hope this is of some help. Regards, Norman. P.S. It would appear to have been modified from the hilt end rather than blade tip.