EL6749 - A superb East India Company infantry officer's sword. Having no visible maker's mark to the ricasso or scabbard locket, or any proof disc. The style of etching and lack of proof disc, but having the 1845 pattern blade, I presume means this dates to very close to 1845, before nearly all makers copied Wilkinson's use of the proof disc. A realistic date range would be 1845-1848, landing this right in the range of the Sikh Wars. The blade has been service sharpened, remains in bright and clean condition, with most of the etching very crisp and clear (a little polished out near the ricasso), and it is absolutely firm in the hilt. The hilt is of early style, more characteristic of the earlier 1822 pattern pipeback models, with remains of the gilding abundant. The folding drop works perfectly and the grip shagreen and wire are excellent. The original leather guard liner is still in place, and even the remnants of the original sword knot remain. The scabbard, amazingly, is also in good condition, with good leather, the stitching intact, all the brass fittings secure, and quite a bit of gilding remaining to those. Really a superb sword, from an extremely military active period in Indian and British Empire history. It is highly likely, given the service sharpening, that this sword was carried in one of these famous campaigns.
