S Stamp on British Swords

Bryce · 9th February 2021, 02:04 AM

G'day Jim,
Henry Osborn was using the G and also GG long before he partnered with John Gunby. Recently I have become aware that earlier (possibly 1780's) Henry Osborn had been marking his swords with a Crown over HO stamp. I have an early (probably circa 1796) 1796 light cavalry sabre marked to Osborn, which I believed had a corroded G stamp on the ricasso. Now I think the mark may actually be a crown with the HO hidden beneath the guard? I have seen on the internet another 1796 sabre with what looks to be a crown over HO stamp.

Henry Yallop from the Royal Armouries confirmed that a sword like the one shown below from Jonathan Barrett's website, with the crown over HO stamp, was also stamped H.OSBORN on the tang.

Why Osborn used a G stamp is still a mystery, but I have never seen a Gill marked sword with a G stamp.
Cheers,
Bryce

Jim McDougall · 9th February 2021, 07:05 PM

Hi Bryce,
Thank you very much for these insights.
it seems Robson mentions early in the century that the crowned view or acceptance process used numbers for certain makers for example '9' for Gill and 4 and 6, I think for Wooley and Osborn. It seems like in these early times there was a great deal of push and pull trying to establish some sort of consistency and control in administrative regulation.

The use of HO on these early examples of 1796 by Osborn is interesting and in all the references on British swords, this kind of data is markedly (no pun intended) absent.

It is interesting that an example with HO exists with the more common name on the blade spine next to hilt concurrently. I suppose that would be due to the name being placed by maker at mfg. and the other being placed at proof center on acceptance.

Perhaps these capital letter stamps were an identifying device used by the blade makers themselves in the sale of their blades to purveyors (such as Ketland) which were being sent to American cutlers or brokers such as Upson in New York. This must be who so much data regarding these capital letter stamps is found in a reference on American officers swords, while it is so noticeably absent n references on British swords.

Bryce · 28th April 2021, 10:55 PM

G'day Guys,
Just giving this thread a bump. Does anyone have a Dawes marked officer's sword? They seem to be as scarce as hen's teeth.
Cheers,
Bryce

9th February 2021, 02:04 AM	#1
Bryce Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: North Queensland, Australia Posts: 202	G'day Jim, Henry Osborn was using the G and also GG long before he partnered with John Gunby. Recently I have become aware that earlier (possibly 1780's) Henry Osborn had been marking his swords with a Crown over HO stamp. I have an early (probably circa 1796) 1796 light cavalry sabre marked to Osborn, which I believed had a corroded G stamp on the ricasso. Now I think the mark may actually be a crown with the HO hidden beneath the guard? I have seen on the internet another 1796 sabre with what looks to be a crown over HO stamp. Henry Yallop from the Royal Armouries confirmed that a sword like the one shown below from Jonathan Barrett's website, with the crown over HO stamp, was also stamped H.OSBORN on the tang. Why Osborn used a G stamp is still a mystery, but I have never seen a Gill marked sword with a G stamp. Cheers, Bryce Attached Images

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9th February 2021, 07:05 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,851	Hi Bryce, Thank you very much for these insights. it seems Robson mentions early in the century that the crowned view or acceptance process used numbers for certain makers for example '9' for Gill and 4 and 6, I think for Wooley and Osborn. It seems like in these early times there was a great deal of push and pull trying to establish some sort of consistency and control in administrative regulation. The use of HO on these early examples of 1796 by Osborn is interesting and in all the references on British swords, this kind of data is markedly (no pun intended) absent. It is interesting that an example with HO exists with the more common name on the blade spine next to hilt concurrently. I suppose that would be due to the name being placed by maker at mfg. and the other being placed at proof center on acceptance. Perhaps these capital letter stamps were an identifying device used by the blade makers themselves in the sale of their blades to purveyors (such as Ketland) which were being sent to American cutlers or brokers such as Upson in New York. This must be who so much data regarding these capital letter stamps is found in a reference on American officers swords, while it is so noticeably absent n references on British swords.

28th April 2021, 10:55 PM	#3
Bryce Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: North Queensland, Australia Posts: 202	G'day Guys, Just giving this thread a bump. Does anyone have a Dawes marked officer's sword? They seem to be as scarce as hen's teeth. Cheers, Bryce