Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. The Royal Navy Pattern 1804 Sword For Sea Service offered here is in very good condition. It is interesting to note that the term cutlass was not often used in naval procurement or regulations of the time with most references being either to Sword For Sea Service or simply Sword, Naval, although the Royal Naval manuals of the period do use the term cutlass.
The cutlass is marked on the obverse of the blade, near the ricasso with the Royal Cypher of King George III, indicating the sword was accepted for use by the Royal Navy. There is also an additional acceptance mark of Crown over S this is one of the earlier cutlasses to be delivered, as a more stringent inspection and marking system developed circa 1810-1815. The cutlass retains its original blade, which measures 26 in length and is 1 ½ wide at the ricasso. The blade has a mostly uniform, smoothly oxidized brown patina with scattered pinpricking along its length.
The cast iron hilt shows the usual pattern of approximately 18 vertical grooves intersected by 6 horizontal grooves. The hilt shows some minor wear and light surface roughness, typical of cast iron. Both the hilt and the sheet iron Figure-8 guard retain much of their original black paint, applied to help weatherize the cutlass. The paint had worn and chipped and the underlying metal has acquired a smooth oxidized patina with only some scattered light pinpricking and minor pitting present. The original peen is undisturbed at the rear of the hilt, and the hilt to blade junction remains strong and secure.
All of the components remain securely attached to each other with no issues as to their overall structural integrity. The cutlass is without a scabbard, which is typical. Even though the cutlasses were normally accompanied by leather scabbards, the their storage aboard ships in racks on the fighting decks and often in lockers or chests usually resulted in the scabbards being lost or discarded as they were generally unnecessary for the sailors, who were more apt to stick the cutlass in a belt or sash than to carry them in a scabbard when it was necessary to do so.
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