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				 S-Bar Basket Hilts 
 
			
			Hi Stephen,
 I think the engraving was purely patriotic, however I doubt we will ever know what the thinking was behind this one at the time.  Anyway, I thought I would move on to another interesting area, the use of the S-Bar in hilt design.  I note that Eljay has already posted one of his examples so I thought I would add this one with the unusual Black Jappaned hilt
 
 BASKET-HILT Scottish Infantry Officer’s
 Date  Circa 1690-1710 (17th - 18th Century)?
 Nationality  Scottish
 Overall Length  96.5 cm  (38 inches)
 Blade length  83 cm  (32.7 inches)
 Blade widest point  3 cm  (1.2 inches)
 Hilt widest point
 Inside grip length
 Marks, etc  The numbers 1 5 1 5 inscribed in the fuller followed by to small marks inlaid with brass.
 
 Description
 BASKET-HILT Scottish Infantry Officer’s broadsword circa 1690-1710.   Blade 32 3/4 ins. (83cm).  Hilt retains japanning and is the S type basket.  Blade is in good condition and has what appears to be the numbers 1 5 1 5 inscribed in the fuller followed by to small marks inlaid with brass.  Grip is made of wood.
 
 References:
 AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ARMS  COLLECTORS: BOOK OF Edged Weapons. Pp200 plate 5
 BEZDEK, Richard H. SWORDS AND SWORD MAKERS OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND pp 371
 BOTTOMLEY, Andrew. Catalogue No 6 item no 580 Pp78
 CURTIS, T. Lysle Price guide Militaria Arms & Armour 1993. Pp108
 DARLING.A.D. Weapons of the Highland Regiments 1740-1780. Pp15.
 OAKESHOTT, E. European Weapons and Armour. (See Claymore) pp 175-182.
 
 Cheers Cathey and Rex
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