1827 PATTERN RIFLES SWORD

[Mervyn Mitton]

When I recently posted on 'British and Commonwealth Medals' the Boer War medals and other personal items from Captain Perkins, I only showed two pictures of his sword and did say I would post them more fully on this sub-forum.

The 1827 Rifles pattern sword was based on the Infantry pattern - however, on the guard it remained as a solid piece and the inner section did not fold flat as with the Infantry officers'. The other main difference was also on the guard. In the cartouche , rather than the Royal Arms the Light Infantry 'strung bugle' was used. The Crown on the sword illustrated is almost certainly the pattern for King William 1V th. (1830-37) - what I am not sure about , is if this Crown continued to be used as part of the original pattern - Queen Victoria had several different Crown styles during her Reign and it was never quite as angular as this one.

The sword is in excellent condition and unusually has the dress scabbard and the field service pattern scabbard. The frog for this is Boer War and has more leather support then on the 1st World War ones. Captain Perkins swagger stick is also shown.

When I show his portrait you will see that he is wearing this sword . Dress swords are worn at the 'trail' and can be attached as shown or, had two clasps - one longer than the other - to suspend from the dress belt.

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Mervyn Mitton]

Captain Perkins was the Commanding Officer of the Worcester Rifle Volunteers. This unit was formed in the late 1850's and had a compliment of 58 men. This later grew as the area had more settlers. This Worcester is in South Africa and about 40 miles inland from Capetown. All of these early towns had their own defence units.

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Mervyn Mitton]

It is very interesting that the maker's details are another contractor - this time from Capetown. Perhaps Jonathan can help with the original maker - strange though that the last two English swords have had local suppliers names. I know nothing about the firm of Mitchell - however, the relative of the Jo'burg company thought that they had supplied all swords to the S.A. Forces.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Apart from being C.O. of the Worcester Rifles Volunteers - during the Boer War he was taken onto the Staff of Cape Command and had the posting of an Asst. Adjutant General. More importantly, he was the overall commander of the Prisoner of War camps in Capetown. There were several in the area - however, the main was at Greenpoint - where they have just built the new football stadium. He also had jurisdiction over the holding camp at Simonstown. This has always been our main Naval Base and his job was the handing over of P.O.W.'s for transportation by the British Navy to the four main centres we had set-up prison camps. These were India - Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) - St. Helena and Bermuda.

With these responsibilities I am surprised he was only a captain.

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Jonathan Hopkins]

Cracking sword, Mervyn! The provenance and other related militaria make it even better. Does the sword bear the officer's name or initials? What is the name of the retailer? Does it say Gordon Mitchell & Co.?

Thank you for sharing this excellent piece of Boer War history!

Jonathan

[Jonathan Hopkins]

I cannot find any dates form the firm, but they appear to have been a British firm with offices in London and Cape Town. I found a reference to a sword they supplied which sold at auction (from OldSwords.com):

"A sword with the following description was sold by 'Wallis & Wallis' auction house on 13/11/2003 15:28:10.

A South African artillery officers' sword for the Boer Republic, blade 33in. by Gordon Mitchell & Co London, etched with ZAR amidst foliage. Reg"

I hope that is of interest.

Jonathan

[Jonathan Hopkins]

Well, the firm was dissolved in 1892, so the sword is pre-1892!

http://www.london-ga...6281/pages/2382

And had been in business since at least 1880 as I found a reference to a young man finding work with them in Cape Town in that year (they are referred to as "wholesalers").

Jonathan

Edited January 20, 2010 by Jonathan Hopkins

[Mervyn Mitton]

Jonathan , you are -for sure - our man to 'go to' for information. Thank you very much for taking the trouble to identify the firm and for the dates. Since he is wearing the sword in the painting it could be pre-1892 or, for the period up to 1899 - explains why he isn't wearing the medals. Your research for your swords, is in far more detail - but for us - it is good to know this much about him.

Do you have anything new in the horizon ? Mervyn

[Jonathan Hopkins]

Mervyn,

I am glad to be of help. Nothing new on the horizon right now, unfortunately. I did get some wonderful books form Christmas, which can be just as much fun! Almost.

I just wanted to add that one of the neat things about your sword is that you have both the service and dress scabbards. It is uncommon to have both with the sword nowadays. The service scabbard is particularly interesting because it is assumed that this style of scabbard did not appear until the late 1890s, but in fact they had been around since at least the 1880s if not earlier. Yours in an excellent example of an early brown leather field service scabbard. I love those metal fittings!

Here is a similar scabbard from a sword that dates to c.1898.

I would not be surprised if the locket on yours was a "Wyatt's Registered" like the one pictured above. Apparently this style emerged in the mid-1880s.

Jonathan

Edited January 22, 2010 by Jonathan Hopkins

[Jonathan Hopkins]

Here is another pre-1892 Pattern 1827 with a Wyatt's Registered scabbard (from OldSwords.com):

[Mervyn Mitton]

Thanks, Jonathan. Could well be a Wyatt's - looks the same as your example. The frog makes it difficult to see if there is a name and I don't like forcing the leather - like me ' rather set after so many years'. I didn't know that the service scabbard was so early. I had always been under the impression that they were Boer War period.

I bought a very nice South African Police - officers' sword - from a friend in Capetown. After 1964 Britain stopped supplying swords to S.A. and they turned to Solingen in Germany. Not a patch on the British ones - although the Police were much better then the Army ones. I will post it in a week or so, hopefully someone else will put something-on ? We haven't even had any good bayonets for ages.

[Jonathan Hopkins]

Thanks, Jonathan. Could well be a Wyatt's - looks the same as your example. The frog makes it difficult to see if there is a name and I don't like forcing the leather - like me ' rather set after so many years'. I didn't know that the service scabbard was so early. I had always been under the impression that they were Boer War period.

I bought a very nice South African Police - officers' sword - from a friend in Capetown. After 1964 Britain stopped supplying swords to S.A. and they turned to Solingen in Germany. Not a patch on the British ones - although the Police were much better then the Army ones. I will post it in a week or so, hopefully someone else will put something-on ? We haven't even had any good bayonets for ages.

Some of these scabbards could have been made for the swords in the late 1890s, but as some are paired with Pattern 1854 infantry officers' swords I think a number of them are pre-1892, or at least pre-1895. Similar scabbards were in use in India well before they became the norm in the British Army (late 1890s).

[Will M]

Interesting that the blade is plated. How early did they have the capability of chrome plating. I have a rifle officers sword by Reeves dated 1871 and it also has plating that looks to be period done. The plating is dull where the etching background is, very thin and does not obscure any etching

[Jonathan Hopkins]

Will,

I am not sure that Mervyn's sword is plated. I think it just retains its original polish.

Jonathan

[Will M]

Will,

I am not sure that Mervyn's sword is plated. I think it just retains its original polish.

Jonathan

Hello, have you seen other swords of this type with plated blades? The one I pictured looks like plating done when it was made, any ideas? The etching is crisp, never buffed over and corrosion underlying the plating appears very old. I have not come across other swords with plated blades.

[Jonathan Hopkins]

I have seen plated blades, but they usually look as if they've been plated later in life. Unfortunately the plating usually ruins the etching in that it becomes much less crisp looking. Your sword looks as you say. It seems early for blade plating, but I don't know much about the process nor when it came into use. Maybe RWL has some insight?

[Mervyn Mitton]

Hi. I would say that the one I show is the original nickel blade. A little corrosion around the guard - happens with getting wet and not cleaning - 'bad batman !'

I don't think chrome existed as far back as the 1880's - however many firms used silver plating as the officers liked the gleam. Looking at yours Will, it appears that at the end the plate has worn off - common with putting wet swords back into the scabbard without wiping. The base metal would not be brass - so, the gold appearance could be from it being dipped in gold to disguise the damage. I am only surmising on this - I would like to hear Jonathan's opinion - and also Mr. Wilkinson-Latham, whose book on swords you should buy.

Jonathan - would you ask him (RWL that is ) if the Crown remained the same throughout the life of this pattern of Rifles sword ?

Mervyn

[Will M]

Hi. I would say that the one I show is the original nickel blade. A little corrosion around the guard - happens with getting wet and not cleaning - 'bad batman !'

I don't think chrome existed as far back as the 1880's - however many firms used silver plating as the officers liked the gleam. Looking at yours Will, it appears that at the end the plate has worn off - common with putting wet swords back into the scabbard without wiping. The base metal would not be brass - so, the gold appearance could be from it being dipped in gold to disguise the damage. I am only surmising on this - I would like to hear Jonathan's opinion - and also Mr. Wilkinson-Latham, whose book on swords you should buy.

Jonathan - would you ask him (RWL that is ) if the Crown remained the same throughout the life of this pattern of Rifles sword ?

Mervyn

Actually the colour is decieving, the flash did this. The blade is all chrome except where you noticed at the ricasso. There is small corrosion shaped like worms or roots under the plating. The plating is good and very thin as the etching is still crisp and visible. The satin background of the etching has stayed satin even with plating, it has taken on the same texture. I believe the plating was done along time ago. One of RWL books mentions a plating/gilt shop in the mid 150's, but does not elaborate to say whether it is the blue and gilt or possibly chrome, nickel, or silver. I have compared the sword to others plated in nickel and this one is chrome, a whiter colour.