I am thinking of buying a sword( a basket-hilt), but I am having trouble dating it. I did notice that it has a circular "hole" on the ricasso that doesn't go all the way through the blade. I am guessing that this is where the brass proof slug went. I know little about brass proof slugs and would like to know when and where they were used specifically. Are they a purely 19th century thing?
As far as I can tell, the basket hilt in question is an 1828 pattern Highland Regiment sword. I thik the basket is called a "sterling", but I could be way off.
| Carl Massaro wrote: |
| I am thinking of buying a sword( a basket-hilt), but I am having trouble dating it. I did notice that it has a circular "hole" on the ricasso that doesn't go all the way through the blade. I am guessing that this is where the brass proof slug went. I know little about brass proof slugs and would like to know when and where they were used specifically. Are they a purely 19th century thing?
As far as I can tell, the basket hilt in question is an 1828 pattern Highland Regiment sword. I thik the basket is called a "sterling", but I could be way off. |
I am no expert on these things but the 19th C. basket-hilts that I have seen have all, including one I have, had the brass disc in the ricasso. So I think you are right in saying that it is missing given where the hole you describe is located. I suspect that is a peculiarity of the 19th c. and later swords.
There was a standard pattern basket used from the early 19th c. on, i.e. it is still being used today. A clear photo would be a help in identifying it but probably not much help in pinpointing a date of manufacture.
Proof slugs appeared in the mid 19th century and were used through the early 20th century. Their introduction is attributed to Wilkinson and they were soon adopted by other makers. They were intended to show that the blade had passed a rigorous proof test, but with some makers this was not necessarily the case. I , too, would love to see photos of the basket hilt!
Jonathan
Jonathan
Thanks guys! Unfortunately, I don't have any photos right now. However, it does have the same basket as the one marked "Sterling" in this photo, which I may have downloaded on this site:
| Carl Massaro wrote: |
| Thanks guys! Unfortunately, I don't have any photos right now. However, it does have the same basket as the one marked "Sterling" in this photo, which I may have downloaded on this site:
|
That is the standard 1828 pattern hilt that survives in use to this day. I suspect they meant "Stirling" instead of "Sterling".
Ok guys, here are the photos:
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