Georgian 'Horse head' Yeomanry officers sabre

[Radboud]

Georgian era Yeomanry officers sabre styled after the 1796 Pattern light cavalry sabre.

Produced by William Henry Archer of Dublin using a Solingen produced blade imported J J Runkel.



This sabre is an example of the many quirky swords that abounded during the Georgian period. While the government was working to establish regulation pattern swords, many officers, especially those of the yeomanry, volunteers or militia were content to continue using the equipment that best suited their needs (either practical or for demonstration). As a result there are many surviving swords that are next to impossible to attribute to a unit or branch of service. In only a few examples are we lucky enough to have identifying inscriptions on the sword or scabbard. And even these need to be viewed with caution.

Stylistically, animal motifs were a common decorative feature on swords of this time. With the lions head so popular that it became part of several British Pattern swords, including the sabre that is still in service with British naval officers. A variation of the animal theme, horse-heads pommels seem to have been more common among the cutlers from Ireland, with Archer and Reed the more frequently encountered suppliers.







The shape of the hilt is broadly modeled on the 1796 Pattern light cavalry sabre, with the dual langets, P-shaped stirrup guard mounted to a very functional blade of cavalry proportions.

My belief is that this sword would have belonged to an Yeomanry officer based in Ireland. The gilt hilt also precludes it from having belonged to a regular army officer, who whould have had a steel hilt to match his uniform.

At the time, the yeomanry had been raised from the upper classes as a reserve force ready to protect Great Britain should Revolutionalry / Napoleonic France attempt to invade (on 22nd August 1798 the French did land 1,000 troops in support of the Irish Rebellion that had started in May that year).

They also had the secondary function of 'keeping the peace'. In a time before an established police force, the yeomanry were often called upon to break-up local unrest. Which meant that these 'gentlemen soldiers' based in Ireland were more active than most of their contempories in the rest of the UK.



William Henry Archer started his career as a sword cutler likely as an apprentice or employee of Richard Shaw, taking over the business in 1783 when he married Margaret Shaw, the recently widowed wife of Richard Shaw.

Richard Shaw, was listed in the trade directories as a sword cutler from 1765 to 1782 when he died of injuries caused by the collapse of a music hall floor. Margaret continued her husbands business in her name until she married William Archer in 1783. The marriage was likely a way to maintain the business, a common arrangement in a time when women were not permitted to own property or enter into contracts.

Archer remained in business until his death in 1830, during this time he also served as Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1812 and 1830 so he must have been a successful and respected businessman of his time.

I estimate that this sword dates from 1798 to 1802 based near identical presentation examples produced by William Archer which have inscriptions dated to 1800. The blade is also decorated with the pre-1801 coat of arms so is unlikely to date after 1803.



The blade was produced in Solingen and imported by J J Runkel. It is decorated with the usual generic trophies of arms alongside the pre-1801 coat of arms and the GR cypher of King George III.





Unfortunately the sword knot isn't original to the sword, but it looks good so I've left it on.

I would welcome any input other members have on these horse head pomels or the activities of the Irish yeomanry of this period.

[Jim McDougall]

What a fascinating example of the officers and as you note yeomanry sabers of the Georgian period, which indeed seem to have had a great deal of artistic license in the themes and decoration.

I had not been aware of the horsehead theme being used significantly by Irish makers (cutlers and outfitters) but interesting to learn more on that.

Years ago I had a great M1803 Flank Officers saber, which as you know typically had the familiar lion head with flowing mane.....however this example had instead the lion head but with sphinx like headdress in place of the flowing mane. I honestly have never seen another like it nor anything in any references which note this design.

It can only be presumed of course that the hilt was commemorating some participation in the Egyptian campaigns (I wish I still had this!). At this time as you note there was a great deal of innovation in these hilts, and for instance some of the presentation swords which had crocodile head hilts.

It seems there were many unusual and distinct designs and themes in the officers sabers of this period, many of which are seemingly either one off or in close similarity.

Great topic and hopefully others might share similar examples.

Best regards
Jim

[Jim McDougall]

Here are pages from "The American Sword 1775-1945" H.L.Peterson, 1973:
The detail in this reference might be helpful, and seems to support your yeomanry theory, note while in American context, these are British made.

[Radboud]

Good day Jim and thank you for sharing that page with us.

Interesting that a similar sword sold at Rock River Auctions some while back, almost identical but with a 33 inch blade:

Manufactured without maker or merchant marks, notes provided by the consignor suggest it was a Dragoon officer's sword, though a nearly identical example featured on page 106 of Peterson's "The American Sword 1775-1945" is attributed as an artillery sword. Peterson further notes that most known examples of the type feature a German-style "stirrup" guard, as opposed to the half-solid, half-chain guard seen in the book and on this sword.

Overall length is 37 3/4 inches, with a 33 inch curved single fuller blade, decorated on the lower half with gold washed patriotic and martial etching on a niter blue field. The hilt is gold washed brass, with a sculpted eagle claw on the rear quillion, a swan with nicely detailed feathers for the guard, a horse head pommel and a checkered antique grip. The scabbard is black leather construction, with lightly engraved gilt brass furniture.

The different blade lengths on identical hilts leads me to suspect that these were intended to catch the purchaser’s fancy rather than for a specific unit type.

[Jim McDougall]

Totally agree! There was obviously varying functional consideration by the type of unit as well as the preferences of officers in the swords they commissioned or acquired.
It seems artillery swords, dragoon swords were often closely related, many hilt designs the same.
Naval swords were often virtually the same as cavalry in many cases.

In the thread on Alamo swords, we are noting the Virginia Manufactory sabers of c. 1803-12, which had incredibly long blades for a saber.....over 40"!! (not suggesting these were used at Alamo, but among swords of period noted).
I cannot imagine what they were thinking......this would be impossible.
When these Virginia swords found use in the Civil War, blades were mostly cut back to about 34".

I have noticed that in some cases, even cavalry officers sabers in the Georgian period were unusually short, I once had a1796 officers saber pre-1801, that had about 29" blade. Perhaps it was a dress saber?