VERY RARE ENGLISH IRON HILT INFANTRY OFFICER’S SWORD, LATE 18TH CENTURY

Pattern which later became standardized as the 1796 Infantry Officer’s Sword, but used as early as 1775. See Swords and Blades of the American Revolution, Neumann, #160.S. This example with 32 ¾” spadroon blade decorated with Arms of England, crowned GR cipher, trophy of arms and foliage. The back marked Runkel Solingen. J J Runkel imported blades from Germany for hilting in England. In 1786, he submitted 1400 blades to the East India Company for quality testing, indicating that he was well established at that time. This sword is unique in our experience as it has an iron hilt, apparently silvered originally. The details conform to the standard with one piece shell guard (non folding) and foliate decorated pommel. The grip is black reeded wood. Excellent preservation for the period, about 1790, and probably served in the Napoleonic Wars and possibly War of 1812.