A peculiar 1796 Pattern 'Spadroon'

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Bryce

G'day Jim,
I agree this isn't the sort of blade you would expect to find on a mortuary hilt like mine, but it is exactly the sort of blade you would find on an early 18th Century basket-hilt. The scabbard would have been custom made for this blade when it was mounted on the boat-shell hilt. They weren't making blades like this in the 1780's/90's. Regarding the condition of the blade. There are plenty of examples of much older blades in pristine condition. As long as a blade is looked after, it can stay in pristine condition for centuries. You wouldn't remount an older blade if it was already in poor condition.
Cheers,
Bryce

I agree Bryce, the blades being made in the 1790s were either hollow ground wide fuller, or the Montmorency type fullered blades typically used by Wooley. It does seem the fullering here may be of the type seen on the British examples of 1750s in the units using basket hilts still.

If this was a heirloom blade, and the officer had it custom mounted to wear at dress occasions, why would they custom make a scabbard of field service form rather than the leather and brass types made for dress wear.?

Good point on remounting a blade in poor condition, whether heirloom or not.