This 1828 pattern Scottish infantry officer’s broadsword is a sword with a story. The sword was made by Septimus John Pillin between 1881 and his death in 1912. The blade was then refurbished and re-etched to bear the cypher of King George VI (1936-1952).
The blade is also etched with the regimental badge of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and a family crest and motto. This was likely to have been a family sword that was handed down from father to son. The father probably also served in the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.
The 830mm double-edged (broadsword) blade has twin, three-quarter length fullers and terminates in a spear point. The blade is etched on a grey matt background with Scottish thistles above and below the badge of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. The forte bears the armorial motto, “In Aridis Viresco,” (In dry places I grow green) the general meaning of which is “In Adversity, I Flourish,” and a heraldic crest showing a garb of wheat. I have not as yet been able to establish which family this crest belongs to.
The obverse bears the crowned cypher of King George VI amidst Scottish thistles.
The ricasso bears a brass proof stud belonging to the London based Pillin family of sword makers. The last of the Pillin family of makers, Arthur Septimus Pillin died in 1915, only three years after his father, Septimus John Pillin.
The blade and etching are in fantastic condition.
The plated steel basket hilt is of the traditional 1828 pattern, composed of flattened rounded bars united by heart pierced junction plates with forward loop guards. The basket is in very good condition with minor speckling to the plating and retaining its red tassel. The shagreen wrapped grip is in very good condition and the twisted wire binding is tight. The blade is firm in the hilt.
The sword is complete with its plated steel scabbard with twin suspension rings. The scabbard is in excellent condition. The sword sheathes and draws smoothly.
This is an excellent example of an Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders officer’s basket hilt broadsword with an interesting family history worth researching.
