Georgian / Victorian British Royal Navy Officer's Sword, Sold

In good condition, a Georgian / Victorian British Royal Navy Officer's Sword, with captured Napoleonic French blade.

This sword clearly has some history. It has a shortened captured Napoleonic French light cavalry officer's blade, etched to "Freres Weyersberg Solingen", with a Georgian British scabbard engraved to "Salter Sword Cutler to HRH The Duke of Sussex 35 Strand London" (dating the scabbard 1801 to 1824), with an 1827 pattern hilt with Queen Victoria's crown (so 1837+). Undoubtedly, the blade was a capture by a British army officer during the Peninsular or 100 Days (Waterloo) Wars, which was then mounted to a British infantry officer's hilt / sword (the scabbard is definitely in the army, not navy style), and then remounted again into a naval officer's hilt. Most likely, almost certainly, a British army officer of the Napoleonic wars kept his capture for a while but then passed it onto his son; passing down family blades was quite common.

The 29 7/8 inch curved blade is well etched but the vast majority of the blue and gilt is now gone. Blade firm in the hilt. The hilt with good amounts of gilt remaining. The white fishskin grip is good except for a small hole; the twisted grip wire is good. The folding guard works well. The leather and gilt on brass scabbard is good though aged, and all gilt gone except for that under the folding guard section. The sword sheathes and draws well.

Oh, if only this sword could speak / we had some provenance (sorry, we do not). You will not find another at any price! Yours for £? (too late, now sold). Please quote item reference AC77 (0321). Further / full sized images available upon request.