Scottish Broad Sword

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

My vote is Scottish. The English pommels were still more 'bun-shaped'. Also, from the style of the basket, this appears post-Rebellion, so many of the Scottish swords of the next period (1770's on) were essentially Scottish troops serving the English, when the basket patterns began to look more 'English' in style. Beautiful basket!

Spot on Cap'n!
Scottish hilts had the open furrow or ring around the pommel where the arms of the guard joined, while English typically used screws. Also, the English hilts were more 'workman' like without the pierced designs, which were often regarded as Jacobite symbols though there is no clear definition of what these were specifically.
The 'ram horns' ( a term only used by Mazansky as far as most regard) would not be on an English hilt.
As you have noted, 'Scottish' designed hilts were still produced in the 'garrison' towns post Rebellion (after 1746) Primarily Glasgow and by Scottish hammermen for the forces of Scottish units now in the British army.

Regiments such as the Royal Scots Greys still used Scottish style hilts, while others used the less Scottish styles with plain plates and there were the types for Black Watch made in Birmingham.

The brisk trade of importing blades from Solingen remained key through the 18th century,and many of the blades remained in circulation for many years.

As far as I have known on the inscription on the blade here, it may be a corruption or cognate of Latin ' in mind', but cannot recall the exact details. It seems like German piecing of a phrase.

As always, I would defer to the real experts here on these, Eljay and Cathey!