Rare Period Modified & Repaired (c1780-1800) Strap Guard Napoleonic British Royal Naval Cutlass!

For Consideration is a Rare Period Modified and Repaired (c1780-1800) "Strap Guard" Napoleonic British Royal Naval Cutlass!


c1780's-1805

A rare Napoleonic British Royal Navy cutlass we have had examples of before but not like this one. This cutlass has had the guard field repaired, clearly period, almost certainly by the ship’s / squadron’s blacksmith (they used to have blacksmiths on ships), plus with hammered guard, again likely to have been the possibly idle work of the ship’s smith. The narrow smooth grips of the so called 1800 pattern cutlass was its greatest issue and the reason it was quite soon after replaced by the 1804P.
Originally a late 18th century figure eight guard cutlass whose hilt / guard has been period modified allowing it to be stowed in numbers in a sea chest. Normally cutlasses that had been “demoted” through some damage or having been superseded by a new model were modified to fit with many others in sea chests on the ship’s gun decks. This cutlass has several ominous to the cutting edge and a (G)R (George III) crown to the blade rather than a view / rack number 27.
The repair on this sword was probably done under the order of the captain or even the Admiral of the squadron. The idle time unofficial enhancement of the guard suggests a time at sea when the ship was in clam waters waiting for enemy vessels to come out from their harbor’s, such as the time spent by the English fleet under the command of Lord Horatio Nelson as he waited for the French and Spanish navy to leave the Port of Cadiz, just before the Battle of Trafalgar. Clearly, the grip modification shows the cutlass was expected to see action. Clearly, the dimpling shows signs of a lazy wait before action (sea bound RN ships would be rolling around in the waves and swell to make such idle work impossible). Given this model of cutlass was superseded in 1804, it was however still the one mainly in use on RN ships at the time of Trafalgar and beyond. There is a very good chance this cutlass was at Trafalgar.

Strap guard cutlasses are much rarer than figure of eight hilt cutlasses. Strap guard cutlasses take up less storage space than those with full disc guards, so this cutlass was most probably stowed in an open barrel or trunk on one of the gun decks of a British warship, amongst the canons, the noise, the smoke, the splintering wood.

The 25 5/8 inch blade is in good condition for its age, with markings still clear, but is very slightly shorter than other examples from Wooley and Deakin (others being 26 1/4 inches), and has some damage evident to the forward / end cutting edge that appears to be period and suggests it may well have seen action and been re-pointed during its service life (it would likely have stayed in service for several if not many years after Trafalgar). The blade is very tight in the hilt. The guard is very good and strong even with the period repairs, as is the grip. Fantastic original dark patina with expected pitting on this basically as found untouched Royal Navy Seaman’s Cutlass!

What a rare and evocative cutlass; an absolute must for the serious cutlass collector.

Please Note Images!

A Beautiful choice example which had previously been on display in a Private Museum in Worcester, Massachusetts.

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