British cutlass early 19th .

[Jim McDougall]

During the Napoleonic wars, ending in 1815 with Napoleons defeat at Waterloo, the British Royal Navy had been using the 'figure 8' pattern hilt cutlass of 1804 pattern with a straight blade. With the introduction of a curved blade cutlass in the American navy, the British decided to follow suit by adding a 'falchion' blade which of course a heavy curved blade....what we normally think of as a cutlass.

In 1814 a new pattern was suggested with such a blade, of 24.5", and using the old 1804 type hilt with gunmaker/cutlers Tatham & Egg. It is unclear how many were produced, but issuance must have been extremely limited as according to the noted authorities on naval arms Annis & May; Gilkerson and Comfort......the 1814 pattern is one of the rarest...with less than 12 known to survive. ...Gilkerson says only 3.

Naturally, this can only be an abstract number arrived at through argument of silence, as no finite records are known, as suggested with comments by these authorities.

Recently I acquired this example, in very poor condition of blade but the markings GR crowned, and the numerals 27 nearer the forte.
In Gilkerson (p.88) the top example of lower plate shows machete illustrated in drawing with blade having these marks and that Solingen was producing blades of this type into mid 1800s.

In Great Britain, after the end of the Napoleonic wars, and the short career of the M1814 cutlass, there was no cutlass production 1816-1841.

What is unusual with this interesting cutlass (with obviously replaced grip), is that it is one of these Solingen type blades with the same marking configuration, however the blade itself not only has the same look as this example, but the length 24.5" is exact to the M1814.

With this hilting, either there were leftover blades from the M1814 in German holding, which might have found their way to private purchase. Naturally captains supplying arms on private vessels bought what was available.
Or this blade MIGHT have been taken from a M1814 cutlass circulating in the trade networks or perhaps entering privateer context perhaps in the Atlantic theater to the South Seas active 1810- into 1830s.

[urbanspaceman]

Hello Jim. It is such a reward when diligent research unearths the provenance of a latest acquisition. Well done You - as usual.
When I discovered the story behind those two identical SB caskets, and subsequently the provenance of my friend's sword, I celebrated with two Portuguese custard tarts and a glass of Madeira. Have a glass of Drambuie on me.

[Jim McDougall]

THANK YOU KEITH!!!
We have always shared the pure lust for discovery in the search for true history in the weapons and related items we have acquired. I always think of the old refrain, ''..if only they could talk". As we know......they DO! It takes time and typically a good deal of searching to find answers to the clues they transmit to us........BUT...............indeed what a reward they give us.

DRAMBUIE it is my friend! May the searches and rewards continue

[M ELEY]

Absolutely incredible sleuthing, Jim! As you well pointed out, the category of 'private purchase' swords for both a ship's defense and for privateer use knows no bounds. This example is yet another fascinating example of a cutlass from that time of upheaval in the Caribbean specifically. I am with Keith on this one! A loud huzzah and a toast of Drambuie to you!

[Norman McCormick]

Hi,
This illustration may also be pertinent.
Regards,
Norman.

[Jim McDougall]

What a great entry Norman! Thank you!
Had no idea Sheffield was in the game as well as Solingen,
What was the source of this plate? aside from the cite shown.
Best
Jim

[urbanspaceman]

I'm a bit confused:
the similarity of the markings on some of the blades in the two plates means what?
Either they both come from Sheffield or they both come from Solingen?

[Jim McDougall]

Keith, that kinda threw me as well as I had no idea Sheffield was involved in this blade traffic, but thats pretty much your neck of the woods.
The astral motif was pretty much a Solingen convention which arose from their adoption of these kinds of symbolic devices used on Eastern European blades, combined with the 'magic' symbolism from Spanish blades.

We know of course that Solingen was one of the most innovative centers for blade making, and diligently copied names, markings, phrases, and all manner of blade features in becoming the key supplier for cutlers and trade everywhere.

While they dominated virtually all markets, even having a hand in the English blade making ventures in Hounslow and Shotley in the 17th c. (Shotley into the 18th)...Sheffield seems always to have been quietly in the background.

As the world markets expanded in the colonies of the major powers by the early 19th c, the advent of firearms had become dominant in arms trade overall, but there was still demand for blades in various capacities. Swords remained key for cavalry and overall military use in other areas, but one of the most prevalent markets (yet least documented) was maritime.

Though regulation patterns for military swords had become standardized, in the navies cutlasses had pretty much been sidelined. As always, in colonial and trade activity, the edged weapons aboard (cutlass/machete/couteau or hanger) had always found probably more use for utility use ashore than anything else.

Thus the development of the well extant machete (cutlass at sea) became expanded in the colonies, so blades of the 'cutlass' type became in larger demand as commercial activity for trade required machetes for agricultural use.

So here was the fabled world of the cutlass, now reduced largely to the mundane agricultural use of the machete, however for blade makers, the exact boon they needed to absorb the lessening demand for military blades.

So getting straight to the point (ha ha) it appears Sheffield joined the party by early 19th c. but Solingen had been at it for over a century.
The Sheffield configurations are situated differently on the blade it seems to me than on the Solingen examples, and that seems to do with fullering, also in my view somewhat different than Solingen it would seem (with exceptions of course),.

With blades it seems, it is hard to identify or classify one or another with all the copying of forms and spurious use of markings etc. but often there are nuances which set them apart.

The Solingen machete/cutlass blades typically it seems had the crowned GR well into the 19th c. (even after Victoria came into power) though obviously the cosmological motif often consumed the space in many.
As far as I can tell, it seems Solingen blades dominated, while Sheffield may have become a 'player' in degree.

Well, I wanted to keep it brief , so for the rest......soon to be an exciting movie.............

[Norman McCormick]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

What a great entry Norman! Thank you!
Had no idea Sheffield was in the game as well as Solingen,
What was the source of this plate? aside from the cite shown.
Best
Jim

Hi Jim,
The illustration is from a pamphlet sent to me by Philip Lankester about 20 yrs ago when I was enquiring about a particular cutlass blade, photo attached.
My Regards,
Norman.