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Laura C
Location: UK Joined: 23 May 2004
Posts: 3
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Bill Grandy
myArmoury Team
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 Posted: Sun 23 May, 2004 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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The design appears to be an 18th century loop-hilt smallsword. (paging Stephen Fisher!)
I couldn't tell you if it's legit or not. It's possibly a Victorian copy. Regardless, if it's not 18th century, it appears to be a very well made copy. I know I'd love to own it.
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Joel Chesser
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| Posted: Sun 23 May, 2004 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not Stephen, but based on my admittedly small amount of knowledge of the smallsword, I would have to agree with Bill.
..." The person who dosen't have a sword should sell his coat and buy one."
- Luke 22:36
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Bill Grandy
myArmoury Team
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| Posted: Sun 23 May, 2004 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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It also looks like a shearing sword, which would make perfect sense with this style of hilt. But the blade appears to be of a hollow ground triangular cross section, a la many smallswords.
Can you give us more pictures and/or more information? Could you describe the blade?
I don't know if you want to clean it up yourself without knowing more about it first. It might depreciate the value.
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Stephen A. Fisher
Location: Kentucky USA Joined: 17 Oct 2003
Posts: 455
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| Posted: Sun 23 May, 2004 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Bill Grandy wrote: | It also looks like a shearing sword, which would make perfect sense with this style of hilt.
Can you give us more pictures and/or more information? Could you describe the blade?
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I agree Bill. From looking at the pictures, it appears to me to be a single edged blade with a large fuller (which could be the reason for it to appear as triangular in cross section), which would make it a spadroon.
Laura,
Do you think it would be possible to get a good photo of the makers mark? Maybe we can make something out of it. The sword appears to be genuine to me. I haven't seen any Victorian reproductions of 18th century weapons, it seems that they were more interested in copying Renaissance & earlier period weaponry. The reeded grip helps in dating the sword, which I would say is from the last quarter of the 18th century. As Bill mentioned above, this type of sword is known as a loop-hilt.
Here is a similar example to yours which features two loops with both a forward & rear quillon.
http://www.myArmoury.com/albums/photo/5364.html
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E.B. Erickson
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Mon 24 May, 2004 2:31 am Post subject: |
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Laura,
You've got a mid to late 1700s English (probably) officer's sword there. And someone found it in a cupboard? Ah, gives all us collectors hope of turning up a sleeper or two ourselves!
--ElJay
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Laura C
Location: UK Joined: 23 May 2004
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Mon 24 May, 2004 3:14 am Post subject: |
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Hiya! Thanks for all the info, wow i didnt know it might be that old!! Yea what a great thing for someone to find in a cupboard, and very lucky they took it to an auction rather than throwing it away! How much would you estimate a sword like this would cost to buy? It's probably gonna be staying in my collection, but im curious! 
I'll try and describe the sword but im a bit of a newbie to sword collecting so forgive me if i get the names of sword parts wrong!  The entire sword is about 39 inches long and the blade is about 32 inches long, the grip is black and seems to be made from wood i think. The back edge is thick (about 0.25 inches where it meets the handle) and it sticks out creating a ridge sort of thing, it gets thinner further down the blade, it ends after about 22.5 inches. There is a fuller down the entire centre of the blade with a ridge either side. I've a few more photos including one of the makers name (my camera isnt too good at extreme close ups unfortunately!):
http://www.plutonicart.com/~ladypoison/swordpics/laurasword4.jpg
http://www.plutonicart.com/~ladypoison/swordpics/laurasword5.jpg
http://www.plutonicart.com/~ladypoison/swordpics/laurasword6.jpg
http://www.plutonicart.com/~ladypoison/swordpics/laurasword7.jpg
Thanks again for all the help
 Attachment: 22.12 KB
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Bill Grandy
myArmoury Team
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| Posted: Mon 24 May, 2004 8:35 am Post subject: |
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Laura,
I'm incredibly jealous! Congratulations on the lucky find!
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Don Stanko
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| Posted: Sun 30 May, 2004 11:01 pm Post subject: |
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It is always hard to say from a photo. If I am seeing it correctly, it appears to have two "loops" incorperated into the guard. Its possible that these may have had metal, pierced shell guards inside of them at one time. Also, the more common style for a loop guard sword is to have only one loop, on the outside of the sword. I do agree that it is not a victorian remake, this was a fighting weapon not a display piece.
Don
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E.B. Erickson
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Mon 31 May, 2004 2:44 am Post subject: |
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Hi Laura,
Glad you posted the photo of the maker's name. It looks like it says "Wooley". That confirms that it's an English sword, and also dates it in the early 1790s or thereabouts.
As to value, my guess is that it would start at about $300. Max about $500. Of course, if you ever put it up for auction, it could go higher if a couple of people had a bidding war!
The grip is probably ebony.
Loop hilts of this period didn't have the pierced plates, but just to make sure, check the inside of the rings. If there's a deeply incised narrow channel, then it did have them.
Again, good find!
--ElJay
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Stephen A. Fisher
Location: Kentucky USA Joined: 17 Oct 2003
Posts: 455
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| Posted: Mon 31 May, 2004 11:38 am Post subject: |
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| E.B. Erickson wrote: |
As to value, my guess is that it would start at about $300. Max about $500. Of course, if you ever put it up for auction, it could go higher if a couple of people had a bidding war!
--ElJay |
Hi ElJay,
I'd probably be in on the bidding war. 
Laura,
Here are some pictures of the Woolley mark for you.
Attachment: 44.78 KB
a American sabre stamped, Woolley & Deakin
Attachment: 42.29 KB
from a British p1788 light cavalry sabre
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Laura C
Location: UK Joined: 23 May 2004
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Thu 03 Jun, 2004 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks everyone for the information!!
One more question.... whats the best way to look after the sword and stop it rusting even more? I have sword oil but wasn't sure if there was anything else i should do to the sword!
Thanks,
Laura
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This is a standard topic
