Quote:
Originally Posted by Radboud
Minor correction here Jim, but Henry Osborn initially stamped his blades with a crown over the letters HO. This changed somewhere around 1797 as there exists a 1798 dated Osborn sword with the G stamp.
My 1796 LC officers by Osborn is stamped with the Crown over HO proof.
I'm not sure if I read your sentence correctly, but officer blades produced by Dawes typically have an S stamp on the ricasso, close to the tang. This is not evident on his trooper swords.
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Thank you for this key information! and correction is excellent, not only much appreciated but very much sought after.
I had not known of the Osborn letter stamping on blades, which in this case obviously stood for Henry Osborn (HO)
As Osborn was the key figure in working with LeMarchant in developing the M1796, which was of course the first 'regulation' British cavalry sword, it seems reasonable that date period would stand.
The switch over to the 'G' on the 1798 sword is curious.....this must have been an officers blade of course as the date is noted.
It does not seem this convention of forte letter stamping is much understood, nor for that matter typically discussed in most references.
Obviously the letters would be presumed initials of the maker, i.e. G for Gill? HO for Henry Osborn............but then it seems the G and GG are predominate on Osborn blades.......not so much on Gills?
There are letters noted in Robson, such as E= Enfield as well as S=Solingen.
While Dawes was producing troopers M1796 swords.......it seems that blued and decorated blades for officers were being imported from Solingen and perhaps that might account for the S ?
I guess we are getting away from the original topic here, which was centered on establishing proper markings on swords by Thomas Gill.