Early 1827 British Naval officers sword

Originally introduced in 1827, it replaced the earlier 1822 Pattern. The main changes where the introduction of a solid brass guard with a crown and fouled anchor and a lion pommel. Replacing the previous open bars, royal cypher and stepped pommel. The dimensions for the blade were laid out as thirty -one and a quarter inches long and one and three eights inches wide at the shoulders. This new pattern also marked the abandoning of blue and gilt decoration for more engraving.

This is very early example of the 1827, probably made by John Prosser. The ring under the guard for the sword knot, as opposed to two pierced holes, date this to before 1830. A does the St Edwards crown. Shorter than the pattern at only twenty-seven and a half inches it could be a custom order, or a dress sword. Alternately it could be a midshipman’s sword as they were instructed to acquire “blades of a convenient length”.

A similar sword can be seen in the well known portrait of Captain William Peel VC with one at relief of Lucknow in 1858