Cut-steel smallsword (not mourning)

Jim McDougall · 23rd December 2020, 04:09 AM

Shayde, first I just would like to say this is pretty much a perfectly presented and described example and I like the way you present it with your own observations, research and detailed dimensions. In my view this is a great way to present a weapon for discussion. Thank you!

I think you have pretty much nailed it (no pun intended) in your assessment, and this does appear to be a cut steel hilt of the period 1790-1810. The small sword had been in decline by the 1780s and these fancy hilts were often more fashion statement than functional weapon.
However as you note, this seems quite the contrary. The blade is with the triangular cross section known as 'hollow ground' and used on small swords through the 18th century. 'Hollow' simply means each of the three blade faces were 'hollowed' or ground concave.

I agree this is probably not a 'mourning' sword, which is sort of a misleading term as these swords were not exclusively worn in those circumstances alone. They were considered well as 'town swords' for regular wear and many cut steel swords were blackened or russeted to show off the embellished metal ornamentation.

There is not a lot of detail in Aylward (1945) helpful toward this particular example and I do not have Dean (1929) handy at the moment.

I think the general appearance of this example, which is really attractive in a macabre, mechanical almost a 'steam punk' kind of way, is much in accord with your own assessment. As noted with a similar hilt style in the catalog of one firm, but not with this style of chain, but these dealers operated mostly with pretty much custom work and catalogs represented examples but not necessarily swords on hand. Therefore these type 'chains' may have been almost 'one off' but it seems I have seen this kind of setup before.

As always, looking forward to other input, but this is an extremely esoteric collecting field. It is a most intriguing example!!

23rd December 2020, 04:09 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	Shayde, first I just would like to say this is pretty much a perfectly presented and described example and I like the way you present it with your own observations, research and detailed dimensions. In my view this is a great way to present a weapon for discussion. Thank you! I think you have pretty much nailed it (no pun intended) in your assessment, and this does appear to be a cut steel hilt of the period 1790-1810. The small sword had been in decline by the 1780s and these fancy hilts were often more fashion statement than functional weapon. However as you note, this seems quite the contrary. The blade is with the triangular cross section known as 'hollow ground' and used on small swords through the 18th century. 'Hollow' simply means each of the three blade faces were 'hollowed' or ground concave. I agree this is probably not a 'mourning' sword, which is sort of a misleading term as these swords were not exclusively worn in those circumstances alone. They were considered well as 'town swords' for regular wear and many cut steel swords were blackened or russeted to show off the embellished metal ornamentation. There is not a lot of detail in Aylward (1945) helpful toward this particular example and I do not have Dean (1929) handy at the moment. I think the general appearance of this example, which is really attractive in a macabre, mechanical almost a 'steam punk' kind of way, is much in accord with your own assessment. As noted with a similar hilt style in the catalog of one firm, but not with this style of chain, but these dealers operated mostly with pretty much custom work and catalogs represented examples but not necessarily swords on hand. Therefore these type 'chains' may have been almost 'one off' but it seems I have seen this kind of setup before. As always, looking forward to other input, but this is an extremely esoteric collecting field. It is a most intriguing example!!