Artist: Unknown; Date(s): circa 1770 - 1790; Classification(s): weapons, sword, casting (process), sword, cast, with incised, etched and high relief decoration; Acquisition: bequeathed by Henderson, James Stewart, 1933-03-16, J.S. Henderson Bequest [HEN.M.296 & A-1933]
Description: Large, silver-gilt, pommel of 'lat'o head' or shield-shaped form, showing on each face in high relief a trophy of arms surrounding a drum flanked by two prancing putti. Large, stout grip of oval section swelling towards the lower end, bound with alternating strands of brass and silver wire. Basket guard of steel, retaining its original blackened colour (of Schiavona type B in the Oakeshott typology of hilts). The roughly-chiselled troop-mask M:C + appears on the outside of one of the bars of the back-guards. The ricasso retains its original sleeve of canvas. This is stitched with gold thread in diagonal ribs with a looped and scalloped lower edge.
Blade of flat oval section, with a short, shallow fuller at the forte. This fuller is outlined with incised lines, forming a panel which ends in a peaked final surmounted by a cross. There are marks, high under the sleeve on one side: E+. The original scabbard survives. This is made of slats of thin wood covered by leather, now black but once brown or red. There is a very elaborate chape of silver (once gilt?) elaborately decorated with pierced patterns surmounted by an Imperial double-headed eagle. Up from the chape, on each edge of the scabbard, is a gutter-shaped silver mount. The edges run two-thirds of the way up, and are secured at intervals by four transverse bands of silver, two of which are close together at the top. From the mouth of the scabbard, on the outside under the leather covering is a sharp ridge to hold the belt-fitting in place and to prevent it from slipping.