1780 heavy Cavalry Officer Sword

Jim McDougall · 22nd October 2023, 01:48 PM

Hi Bryce,
It sure seems plausible in some degree, and hilt designs in certain categories might be similar structurally, but simple embellishments added or changed.
In that period of the 18th century, it does seem the officers were extremely focused on fashion, and followed the styling found with the gentleman's small sword hilts , with many parallels in the forms. I think the silver hilts as shown in Southwick as a key reference illustrates well these design orientations.

I think the more pragmatic designs in the troopers sabers on 1796 with simple strirrup hilt became embellished with simple added guard bars which became the M1821/1829 (production stalled c. 1825 with issues in both light and heavy troopers (bowl guard) versions). The officers sabers however remained as the M1822, also with three bar design. These added bars also formed the basis for the infantry officers saber hilt, which became later known as the 'gothic' hilt in the arms writer jargon in the same manner as 'honeysuckle' hilt probably in the same manner in the Victorian era.

For me the hilt design motivations were always intriguing, and I recall the mysterious 'five ball hilt' of the infantry officer 'spadroons' of c. 1780 and the 'five ball hilt'. I got the notion that there might be a Masonic connection with the number five that might be subtly represented ( Freemasonry was pretty well established with officers and gentry of the period). When I discussed the idea with Robson, he politely suggested the idea as a bit 'fanciful' and that the design was simply 'aesthetic'. It seems that Blair and May approached these hilts in a article in JAAS (cant recall issue offhand) but could not describe a reliable source for the design.

In further support of my 'Masonic' idea, there was a strong solidarity in Freemasonry between the British and French lodges which surmounted national or political disparities. In what appears a singular instance of the French adopting a design 'from' the British, they had hilts of this design which they termed l'Anglaise.

My apologies for the tirade on hilt designs, just expounding a bit on some of my obsessions over the years

22nd October 2023, 01:48 PM	#12
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,945	Hi Bryce, It sure seems plausible in some degree, and hilt designs in certain categories might be similar structurally, but simple embellishments added or changed. In that period of the 18th century, it does seem the officers were extremely focused on fashion, and followed the styling found with the gentleman's small sword hilts , with many parallels in the forms. I think the silver hilts as shown in Southwick as a key reference illustrates well these design orientations. I think the more pragmatic designs in the troopers sabers on 1796 with simple strirrup hilt became embellished with simple added guard bars which became the M1821/1829 (production stalled c. 1825 with issues in both light and heavy troopers (bowl guard) versions). The officers sabers however remained as the M1822, also with three bar design. These added bars also formed the basis for the infantry officers saber hilt, which became later known as the 'gothic' hilt in the arms writer jargon in the same manner as 'honeysuckle' hilt probably in the same manner in the Victorian era. For me the hilt design motivations were always intriguing, and I recall the mysterious 'five ball hilt' of the infantry officer 'spadroons' of c. 1780 and the 'five ball hilt'. I got the notion that there might be a Masonic connection with the number five that might be subtly represented ( Freemasonry was pretty well established with officers and gentry of the period). When I discussed the idea with Robson, he politely suggested the idea as a bit 'fanciful' and that the design was simply 'aesthetic'. It seems that Blair and May approached these hilts in a article in JAAS (cant recall issue offhand) but could not describe a reliable source for the design. In further support of my 'Masonic' idea, there was a strong solidarity in Freemasonry between the British and French lodges which surmounted national or political disparities. In what appears a singular instance of the French adopting a design 'from' the British, they had hilts of this design which they termed l'Anglaise. My apologies for the tirade on hilt designs, just expounding a bit on some of my obsessions over the years