Object number
201402.20.1
Title
Sword belonging to Major Francis W Pritchard
Creator
Description
A sword with a scabbard, sword frog and leather storage case that was carried by the Pritchard family and was passed from Uncle to Nephew.
The straight blade of this sword is two-edged for the final section of its length and is ornately etched on both sides of the blade. The front of the blade features a six pointed star at the top and is etched with winged thunderbolts framed by ‘Royal Engineers’, below this is a Latin inscription ‘SPES INFRACTA’ (my hope is unbroken). Halfway up the blade are decorative scrolls featuring where the blade was carried and used; ‘The Great War 1914-1918’, ‘Indian Mutiny’, ‘Abyssinian Exped’, ‘China War 1860’, ‘Ashanti Exped 1895-1896’, ‘Sudan Campaign 1896-1898’, ‘South African War 1899-1902’.
The reverse of the sword is etched with ornate scroll work, the crowned Royal Arms and the royal cypher of the Queen Victoria below which are two scrolls framing a canon, the scrolls feature the Latin ‘Ubique’ (everywhere) and ‘QUO FAS ET GLORA DUCUNT’ (where right and glory lead) which are the motto’s of the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers. Towards the middle of the blade is a decorative scroll etched with ‘Belgium-France 1940’ and ‘Burma 1942-1944’. At the top of the blade the manufacturer details are very faintly visible ‘Henry Wilkinson Pall Mall, London’.
The guard of the three-quarter basket hilt is pierced and etched with a scroll pattern that incorporates the royal cypher of Queen Victoria and the grip is covered with fish skin bound with wire. There is a sword knot attached to the guard made of plaited brown leather which was used for active service wear, the swordsman would wrap the loop around his wrist to prevent loss of the sword should he need to relax his grip or if the weapon is struck from his grasp.
There is a brown leather scabbard, sword frog, transport case and an additional sword know that is broken.
Production place
London
Date
1855 - 1944
Production period
Mid Victorian, 1850-1875, World War One, 1914-1918, World War Two
Dimensions
- 960 mm
- Width: 31 mm
- Width: guard 130 mm
- Blade 805 mm
- Scabbard 830 mm