English Mourning Sword with Original Scabbard, ca. 1800

Description

Bright steel hilt featuring short straight quillons with recurved scroll finials, knuckle chain
guard attached to the base of the faceted urn-shaped pommel, short pas d’ane attached to
the openwork disc guard, openwork steel grip with faceted beads simulating diamonds.
Slender 30 3/4″ hollow-ground blade. Original parchment-covered wood scabbard with
steel fittings and twin carry rings. These fragile parchment scabbards rarely survive in
good condition and this one is fine with just a few small worm holes. Overall length 37 ½”.
Very good condition with small areas of light pitting on the blade. The steel beads really do
sparkle like diamonds when the light shines on them. Such swords were in fashion in
England during the Neoclassical period and are thought to have been worn with formal
dress at times of mourning.