A Georgian ca.1795 royal Navy officer's smallsword. Hilt is beautiful cut steel, with most of its blued surface intact and turned to a nice dark patina. Sword measures 98 cm overall, blade is 82 cm long, trifoil, decorated with a crowned anchor on the inside, and the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom on the outside. Guard and quillons have loosened over time. Blade is straight and true. The locket is original to the sword, scabbard leather a contemporary replacement. No scabbard shoe present.
An excellent and rare early French Revolutionary Wars-period English Royal naval officer's sword! This dress sword was assembled for a left-handed individual, possibly a flag officer.
A similarly-hilted smallsword is pictured on the engraved portrait of Lord Howe, for which he sat after the Glorious First of June.