#1803 pattern

[blue-and-gilt]

What happens when a friend and fellow sword collector comes round to talk swords, collecting, rifles, books and generally chew the fat.

[awallofswords]

Always nice to have a parcel waiting for you. A couple of mystery swords in this lot. 

Left to right: 

French National Guard mounted officers’ sabre with rotating guard. 

British 1803 Pattern infantry officers’ sabre by Prosser with J J Runkel blade

British 1788 Pattern light cavalry troopers sabre marked to Runkel Solingen

Spanish / Italian cup-hilted smallsword with Toledo blade

[awallofswords]

In the vein of @victoriansword post showing different grips for holding swords above are some photos I took of other British Georgian era swords for comparison.

They are, top to bottom:  1. 1796 Pattern Heavy Cavalry troopers sword 2. 1796 Pattern Heavy Cavalry officers dismounted service sword (with the boat-shell guard). 3. 1803 Pattern Light Company officers sabre.

Out of interest I tried the grips while wearing leather gloves, my rational being that it was likely that these would have been worn most of the times that the swords were used. I don’t have large hands, the gloves are a medium size I purchased from a hardware store. They’re a good fit, but I found that with the 1803 they took up a lot of the space inside the guard. My personal impression, is that the 1803 favoured the hammer grip as it is mostly a cutting sword. The thumb up the back was good for the 1796 HC officers sword and the 1796 HC trooper when giving point. That said I wouldn’t be surprised if they changed to a hammer grip on the trooper sword once they got into melee.

I will follow this post up with a similar one for three French swords.

[awallofswords]

1803 Pattern Light Company Officers Sabre by Bennett with J J Runkel blade.

British Army 1803 Pattern Infantry Officers sabre, or more commonly referred to as the 1803 Flank officers’ sabre. Named so because the officers authorised to wear this sword by regulation, lead the Light Company and Grenadier Company that paraded on the flank as the regiments elite companies.

The Grenadiers were the heavy troops of the regiment, men selected for their size, stature and bravery. They were often the first to be thrown into where the fighting was thickest.

The light companies, and later the rifle companies were the regiments skirmishers and would range out away from the main body of troop, protecting it from ambush or scouting for the enemy. These men were often smaller in stature and selected for their adaptability. Several light companies would later be converted into Rifles Companies as their usefulness became apparent.

While the British army had two regulation sword patterns for infantry officers; the 1786 followed by the 1796, officers of the Flank companies were keen to highlight their elite status by adopting their own swords, specifically sabres that both mimicked the glamorous light cavalry and were believed to be better suited to the style of fighting they encountered. Several regiments went so far as to adopt their own regimental pattern sabre in place of the standard 1796 Infantry officers sword.

In 1803 the practice of flank officers carrying sabres was finally officially recognised and the 1803 Pattern Sabre became the official pattern. Naturally, officers being what they were, many regiments retained their original sabres regardless of the new regulation.

Not to be out done, many regular officers and staff officers were also quick to take up the attractive 1803 pattern. So much that today unless there are  identifying features present it is difficult to be entirely certain what kind of officer carried what sword and we are left making broad generalisations.

This sword has the slung bugle emblem used by both Light Companies and Rifle Companies. The blade was made in Solingen, Prussia and imported by J J Runkel. The scabbard locket is engraved with the name Bennett of 67 Royal Exchange, who were the sword cutler that assembled the sword.

John Bennett was trading at the Royal Exchange from 1774 to 1802 when Elizabeth Bennett took over till 1807. In 1808 the business name changes to Bennett & Lacy and then to John George Lacy in 1809. Because women of the day were unable to acquire property through direct means one can only guess that Elizabeth must have been John's widow or only daughter and that she then married Lacy to be able to continue the business.

These dates mean that this sword was most likely made between 1803 and 1808, this coincides with the same year that J J Runkel stopped importing swords into the United Kingdom because of French occupation of Prussia.

Overall Length: 960 mm

Blade Length: 812 mm

Grip Length: 134 mm

Inside Grip Length: 100 mm

Weight: 840 grams

Total Weight (inc. scabbard): 1,270 grams

Point of Balance: 135 mm

[awallofswords]

I do like getting new mail!

[awallofswords]

I’m normally a cavalry sword kind of guy. But the British 1803 Pattern Flank Officer’s sabre is just too beautiful to ignore. Here we have a lovely 1803 that would have been carried by a fashion conscious Grenadier Officer. The sabre was made by Osborn and Gunby, one of the top British sword makers of the time.

1803 pattern Grenadier Officers sabre by Osborn and Gunby with ‘Warranted’ gilt and blue decorated curved blade, pierced guard with GR cypher, lion head pommel in leather scabbard.

Source: Wilson55.com

[awallofswords]

British 1803 Pattern Light Infantry officer’s sabre.

Given Nick Thomas’ most recent video in his excellent Sword Studies series I thought it a good time to post up my own 1803 Pattern Infantry Officer’s sabre.

As has been mentioned in my previous posts, a lot of the early sword patterns for the British armed forces were introduced ‘after the fact’ so that uniform regulations could catch up with what was already happening on the ground. Up until about the early to mid-twentieth century, officers from most of Europe’s’ armies had to purchase their own uniforms and equipment, including their swords.

The natural result of this was that there can be found a significant amount (especially in the early nineteenth Century) of variation in the style, quality, and specifications of these swords. Some officers were accomplished fencers and were precise in their notion of what makes an ideal blade. Others were more conscious of fashion and the need to always look their best. And finally, there were those officers that needed to be mindful of their purse and purchased swords at the outfitters, indifferent to the quality of the weapon (being an officer in those times was an expensive business and the junior ranks needed significant financial backing while the worked their way up the ranks towards more profitable positions).

By the beginning of the nineteenth century there was a significant movement away from the straight bladed 1796 Pattern infantry officers’ sword to a curved cavalry style sabre. Especially amongst the specialist infantry units. Skirmisher units, whose officers were more likely to become entangled in close quarter engagements and have to use their swords for more than directing their men. The 1803 Pattern became the official recognition of this trend and incorporated many of the features of the existing swords into a single pattern. Features such as the lion’s head pommel and the slot guard. Because the 1803 pattern related to the hilt only, there continued to be significant variation in the blade specifications, resulting in swords that were superbly curved and fashionable while completely ill suited to the style of fencing used by British officers.

This 1803 bares the bugle emblem of the Light Company and was retailed by Griffin & Adams, sword cutlers who operated between 1800 and 1828. As a cutler they would have purchased their blades and then added the fittings and designs themselves. The hilt has the half lion’s head and the grip is wire bound instead of the usual leather and wire or shagrin that is more typical. The blade length is fairly standard for the time, but the blade curvature (73mm) is at the limit of what could be considered appropriate for British swordsmanship

Overall Length: 887 mm

Blade Length: 760 mm

Grip Length: 115 mm

Inside Grip Length: 102 mm

Weight: 760 grams

Total Weight (inc. scabbard): 1,270 grams

Point of Balance: 130 mm

[awallofswords]

One of these things is not like the others….