ELC1024 - A very unusual late-Victorian cavalry sword, by Pillin, with a custom-made guard.
Being an S. J. Pillin sword with a serial number to the spine (99727), this sword must date to the 1880s or 1890s, but that it has a half-chequered backstrap suggests that it dates to before 1895. The serial number may indicate a date in the early 1890s based on what little we know about Pillin's numbers.
It was almost certainly originally made with a light cavalry 3-bar hilt, or perhaps a heavy cavalry ladder hilt. But it is clear that at some point in its service life the owner decided that they wanted a more individual and perhaps better guard. The custom steel guard is symmetrical, with floral decoration engraved to the surface, as well as little holes drilled to accentuate the patterns. Note that there is a border line engraved around the edge, with scroll ends meeting at the rear quillon. This is modeled on the heavy cavalry officer's hilt.
Given the style of the scabbard, it seems quite likely that this custom work was carried out in India. The tang nut has been replaced (probably when the new guard was added) with a period hexagonal nut that shares the same patina as the rest of the hilt.
The 33 inch blade is almost straight and heavily service-sharpened for half the front edge and the false edge. There is no monarch's cypher, but instead there is the owner's motto "FIDE ET CONSTANTIA" in large letters. So far it has not been possible to match this to an officer, so there is a lot of interesting research potential. The blade is bright, the etching much more detailed than normal, and it is solid in the hilt.
The grip has suffered from use in period, with some loss to the shagreen and silver wire. The sword is in good condition overall though, made by a top maker, well service-sharpened and lots of research possibilities. The guard alone makes this a very desirable sword.
