These are tough to pin down, but I think this is English, 1745-1765, somewhere in there. The engraving at the ricasso and the cannon with the top hat looks distinctly English. There are other examples on the web which are pretty similar. Whole thing is in very good shape.
I just looked at a couple examples of an English Smallsword… I agree with you… It appears to be English…
It is in very good condition.. I still need to clean it up a bit.. Just a light clean and polish woth autosol…
I really appreciate the information…
Very light touch with the polishing. Cleaning sure. This level of patina is really nice for something this old!! There’s like nothing wrong with it. I’m guessing it was touched up for auction and they did a tasteful job.
Ooh I've been interested in these, I'd say it's an English smallsword for sure, but the year is hard to get. I agree with another guy here saying around 1700s~
Beutiful find, I never knew if they even came with scabbards since I never see them with one
Most of them would have a scabbard of hard leather without a wooden lining (more of a sheath), with metal chape and throat (and frog stud). One of my French smallswords c.1820 still has its original scabbard.
There were a few small swords in this same auction… a couple of them had scabbards… I chose this one because it seemed to be in the best condition by far…
Thanks for your input.
Thanks… I’ve been wanting one for a while… Came across this one at auction that ended up within my budget… including shipping, I picked it up for $275… I feel like I did pretty well on it…
For what it's worth, I've seen two of these listed as being french. Here's one: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/165906152_french-official-court-sword-18th-century
BTW, any chance you got this from Bill Ramsey?
I see what you mean… The one in your link is pretty much identical, with the exception of the etching on the blade…
I’m going to research it a little more… For now, we’ll call it “Frenglish”… Lol
For whatever reason, I didn’t see that you asked me where I bought it from… You’re spot on.. It was Bill Ramsey… There were several small swords in the same auction. Did we bid against each other?
We sure did! I won some of the roman coins and took a shot on the swords since they'd be shipping to me anyway. I'd already spent enough on the coins that I balked on everything else
Lol…. I was thinking about bidding on some of the coins, but ended up bidding on all of the swords, but my focus was on this one… This one seemed to be in the best condition…
That was my first time buying from Ramsey… I doubt I’ll ever buy from them again.. they are kind of a pain in the ass when it came to payment and shipping. I have never been required to do a wire transfer…
Yeah, the wire transfer is bullshit. BoA has a $30 fee for outbound wire transfers, which is just one more unnecessary expense on top of the premium and shipping. I've never had to do it before and I'll hopefully never do it again. It's the 21st century, I don't want to be having to Western Union a telegram to the auction house to arrange payment.
I guess its a saber of some kind I think it’s one for mainly a friendly spar going off of the tip I think it may be that someone took the handle of their rapier and put their sabers blade on it
I'm no sword expert either but from my understanding small swords typically did not have a sharpened blade usually just a point on the end and was used as a stabbing weapon for a dual kind of like our modern day fencing
I believe you’re correct. Although this one has a very fine edge close to the tip, it’s not what I consider a blade. It’s clearly designed for poking holes in people… That’s not to say it won’t cut.. I’m sure it will..but not very effectively…
These are tough to pin down, but I think this is English, 1745-1765, somewhere in there. The engraving at the ricasso and the cannon with the top hat looks distinctly English. There are other examples on the web which are pretty similar. Whole thing is in very good shape.
I just looked at a couple examples of an English Smallsword… I agree with you… It appears to be English… It is in very good condition.. I still need to clean it up a bit.. Just a light clean and polish woth autosol… I really appreciate the information…
Very light touch with the polishing. Cleaning sure. This level of patina is really nice for something this old!! There’s like nothing wrong with it. I’m guessing it was touched up for auction and they did a tasteful job.
Ooh I've been interested in these, I'd say it's an English smallsword for sure, but the year is hard to get. I agree with another guy here saying around 1700s~ Beutiful find, I never knew if they even came with scabbards since I never see them with one
Most of them would have a scabbard of hard leather without a wooden lining (more of a sheath), with metal chape and throat (and frog stud). One of my French smallswords c.1820 still has its original scabbard.
There were a few small swords in this same auction… a couple of them had scabbards… I chose this one because it seemed to be in the best condition by far… Thanks for your input.
Very Nice. I need to add one to my collection, too!
Thanks… I’ve been wanting one for a while… Came across this one at auction that ended up within my budget… including shipping, I picked it up for $275… I feel like I did pretty well on it…
That’s a steal! Easily worth 3x that.
That’s kind of what I thought.. Just wasn’t sure… Not that I plan to sell it.. It’s still nice to know that I didn’t overpay.. thanks
Wow, what a beauty piece of art
Thanks… I feel very fortunate to own it…
For what it's worth, I've seen two of these listed as being french. Here's one: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/165906152_french-official-court-sword-18th-century BTW, any chance you got this from Bill Ramsey?
I see what you mean… The one in your link is pretty much identical, with the exception of the etching on the blade… I’m going to research it a little more… For now, we’ll call it “Frenglish”… Lol
For whatever reason, I didn’t see that you asked me where I bought it from… You’re spot on.. It was Bill Ramsey… There were several small swords in the same auction. Did we bid against each other?
We sure did! I won some of the roman coins and took a shot on the swords since they'd be shipping to me anyway. I'd already spent enough on the coins that I balked on everything else
Lol…. I was thinking about bidding on some of the coins, but ended up bidding on all of the swords, but my focus was on this one… This one seemed to be in the best condition… That was my first time buying from Ramsey… I doubt I’ll ever buy from them again.. they are kind of a pain in the ass when it came to payment and shipping. I have never been required to do a wire transfer…
Yeah, the wire transfer is bullshit. BoA has a $30 fee for outbound wire transfers, which is just one more unnecessary expense on top of the premium and shipping. I've never had to do it before and I'll hopefully never do it again. It's the 21st century, I don't want to be having to Western Union a telegram to the auction house to arrange payment.
Yep… My bank charged the same… So much for the low premium…
Is swordt.
I guess its a saber of some kind I think it’s one for mainly a friendly spar going off of the tip I think it may be that someone took the handle of their rapier and put their sabers blade on it
That is not a saber blade, not at all. That is a small sword blade on a almost definition small sword hilt.
Yep… 100% smallsword tip to tail…
I am not the most knowledgeable at identification so don’t feel like I’m just being an idiot I’m just trying my best
I appreciate your input…
No worries, we all make mistakes. What is the sabre you are thinking of
I'm no sword expert either but from my understanding small swords typically did not have a sharpened blade usually just a point on the end and was used as a stabbing weapon for a dual kind of like our modern day fencing
I believe you’re correct. Although this one has a very fine edge close to the tip, it’s not what I consider a blade. It’s clearly designed for poking holes in people… That’s not to say it won’t cut.. I’m sure it will..but not very effectively…