British 1805 Pattern Georgian Naval Officer’s Dress Sword by Salter, 1805-24
Straight pipeback blade with spear point. P-shaped brass stirrup hilt with spiralling foliate decoration and attached brass ring for sword knot, forward curving acanthus-styled quillon, shield-shaped langets, ribbed brass ferrule, brass textured backstrap with integral pommel cap in the form of a lion’s head. Reeded ivory grip bound with wire. Black leather scabbard with brass throat, middle and chape pieces, the throat and middle pieces with hanging rings, all cast with ornate acanthus leaf decoration. Blade 27 inches in length, the sword 31 inches overall.
The blade is engraved on both sides with foliage. The engraving grows fainter moving up the blade, at the shoulder where it is protected by the langets the engraving is clearest and it is gilded. The gilding probably originally ran further up the blade, since worn off by repolishing.
The langets are both cast with a crown and fouled anchor indicating maritime use. The throat piece of the scabbard is engraved with the maker’s mark ‘Salter Sword Cutler to H.R.H the DUKE of SUSSEX 35 Strand London’.
John Salter worked as an employee of the brothers Joseph and Edward Greensill from around 1780, their business was a gold & silversmith which also produced sword hilts and silver gun mounts. Salter took over the business in 1801 and developed a list of notable clients: he was cutler of choice of Admiral Lord Nelson, Admiral Lord Exmouth and, as noted on this sword, the Duke of Sussex (Prince Augustus Frederick, sixth son of George III).
Salter is thought not to have produced blades, instead purchasing these from the makers Richards, Osborne and Gill, then mounting them in-house. Most of surviving Salter swords appear to be British naval types, or export models made for the United States. Salter traded at 35 Strand from 1801 until 1824, after which the business moved to 73 Strand, which puts a possible date range on this sword.
Salter formed a partnership with his nephew William Widdowson and Henry Tate in 1831, then from 1834 the business operated as Widdowson & Veale (with new partner Richard Veale) until it merged into Longson & Strongitharm in 1877. Longson & Strongitharm Ltd traded until its closure in 1968.
In form this piece resembles the 1805 Pattern naval officer’s sword but it is a dress sword, made to be shorter, lighter more ornate than the service Pattern. These were referred to in the Army as ‘picquet weight’ swords and this term is sometimes used for all such light versions. Naval officers had previously worn smallswords for this purpose but the introduction of a standard Pattern brought about a trend to miniaturise it for dress. See page 42 of British Naval Swords & Swordsmanship by McGrath & Barton for a similar example also made by Salter, and discussion of dress versions of the 1805 Pattern.
The blade sharpened towards the tip, which is intact. Some spots of cleaned light pitting on the blade, which in places impacts the edge, one spot of cleaned moderate pitting on the blade’s rib on each side. As mentioned the blade has been repolished which has removed gilding and some of its engraving. The sword is solidly peened with no movement to any parts. The brass hilt and backstrap have a light patina with some gilding in its recesses, likewise the brass parts of the scabbard. The grip is intact, its wire binding is intact and tight. The leather of the scabbard is excellent, strong and flexible, capable of supporting its own weight with the sword withdrawn despite its slender profile. All of its stitching is intact.
Due to the ivory used in the grip, this sword cannot be exported from the UK. It has been declared and registered as antique ivory under the provisions of the UK Ivory Act and therefore can be sold within the UK. Please note that this is a one-time non-transferable registration: if you purchase this sword and wish to resell it you must register it again.
