1798 Pattern Scottish Highland Infantry Officer's Broadsword (sold)

Rare brass hilted 1798 P Scottish Highland Infantry Regiment Officer's Broadsword with earlier Scottish made family heirloom blade.

Stunning example of the now exceedingly rare 1798 P Highland infantry officer's broadsword; the type carried by Scottish infantry regiments during the Peninsula War and Battle of Waterloo against Napoleon's forces. The very wide (at ricasso / forte, it is 1 5/8 inches / 4cm) 30 3/4 inch long triple fullered blade has some very distinct temper lines commensurate with being a quality Scottish traditionally made blade; an earlier "family" blade from around 1700. The 1798 Pattern was the first attempt by the British to standardize sword patterns for the Scottish regiments and was very loose in some respects, with blades coming from Solingen (Prussia / Germany), England and Scotland, clearly with officers mounting the blades from their existing pre-pattern broadswords.

The magnificent brass hilt is truly impressive but fundamentally weaker than steel hilts, hence the pattern is rare as the hilts suffered terribly over time. It is a chilling prospect that maybe this brass hilted sword was at Waterloo doing battle with the more famous brass hilted heavy cavalry swords of the French Cuirassiers (the later finding to their immense cost they could not charge through so called "Highland Infantry Squares").

This is a very nice sword indeed and everything is firm and complete. The hilt has a couple of breakages which have been repaired and can be considered slight, especially when you consider the state of most of these famous brass basket hilts. Further pictures available upon request.