EL6745 - A Wilkinson infantry officer's sword, numbered 30722 (made in 1891). Sadly there is no name against this blade on the Wilkinson record. We know it was for an officer in India from the VRI on the guard. The hilt has been updated to the new 1895 regulations with a custom made (perhaps locally in India) version of the 1895 hilt. It has a slightly thicker and flatter guard than is normal for an 1895 pattern, and the backpiece has larger checkering. The officer must have commissioned around 1891 and still been active in 1895, and I would say from the wear on the shagreen grip that they remained in service for several years after that. The blade of regulation 32.5 inches long has been well service sharpened and is firm in the hilt. The hilt is somewhat worn, a little bit of loss to the shagreen grip, and the thin strands of the copper grip wire gone. An interesting sword that handles well and probably had a very interesting service life.
