British Staff Sergeant's P1845/54 Sword.
This rare British P1845 Staff Sergeant's sword has an unadorned, 82.3 cm slightly curved, single edged blade. The blade has a flat spine and a broad single fuller on both sides. The blade is a rare transition type, mid-way between the Wilkinson 1845 pattern blade and the earlier 1822 pattern pipe-back. This blade ends in a quill point. The blade is service sharpened and retains its edge. The last 20 cm of the top (false) edge is also sharpened.
The blade is in good condition with patches of mild age related tarnish. There are a few minor nicks in the blade most likely from edge-to-edge contact. This is a robust fighting sword. The spine is 8 mm thick at the ricasso and the ricasso is 28 mm wide. Despite not being marked, this is clearly a well-made sword by a good maker.
The solid brass guard is the Gothic 1845 pattern that replaced the 1822 pattern folding guard sometimes found on the earlier P1845 swords. Although this fixed guard hilt was officially adopted in 1845, earlier examples of fixed guard hilts are to be found, as are later examples with a folding guard.
The guard has a great age patina and bears an oval cartouche containing Queen Victoria's Royal cypher.
The ray skin hilt is in good condition with a single twisted brass wire. The hilt's back strap has acanthus style decoration flowing into the stepped pommel with a flattened tang button. The blade is firm in the hilt.
This is a great example of a rare Victorian Staff Sergeant's sword.
