1828 Pattern Basket Hilted Highland Officers Sword - Royal Scots Fusilier
This is probably my favourite acquisition of 2023;
It was owned by an officer commissioned into the Royal Scots Fusiliers (RSF) in 1939 who retired as a Lt Col in the Royal Highland Fusiliers (RHF) the successor regiment to RSF and the Highland Light Infantry (HLI) in 1969, It is one of a total of 673 manufactured by The Wilkinson sword company in 1938.
It has a regimental etched blade which was an optional extra at the time of purchase.
The scabbard is the leather covered field service type.
The basket hilt can be removed and replaced with a straight cross guard which I am trying to source.
The brass "proof slug" refers to a bend test carried out to prove the swords suitability for actual use as a weapon in the field. It is more indicative of Wilkinson blades although in later years when swords were no longer actually used in combat it became more of a generic "Quality assurance" mark not really relating to mechanical testing and it is doubtful whether makers other than Wilkinson actually did carry out such testing anyway.
Particularly with Wilkinson blades there are three versions of the "Star" trade mark; one with no impressed brass slug - Standard quality. Another with a circular impressed slug - High quality and a third with a hexagonal impressed slug - Best Quality.
I am in the process of researching the owner but I discovered that he was born in British India and the records of the British India Office whilst available appear to have a different GRO Index reference system which is causing me a little difficulty but I will add the results here eventually.
Anyway, here a some pics and I hope you like it as much as I do.
Regards
Mark
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