ELC1070 - The 1857 pattern Royal Engineers sword of Sir Charles Moore Watson (1844–1916) ( https://www.dib.ie/biography/watson-sir-charles-mo...
). The sword itself was made by Wilkinson in 1866 when Watson commissioned from the Royal Military Academy. He went on to have an incredibly interesting military career, which included serving in Egypt alongside General Gordon (of Khartoum) and Sir Evelyn Wood, being succeeded as governor-general of the Red Sea littoral by Col. H. H. Kitchener (Kitchener of Khartoum, later Lord Kitchener). For a full account of his fascinating life, I recommend you read the linked article.
The sword is a top quality Wilkinson of regulation proportions, featuring the regulation brass scroll hilt with a steel washer. The sword is in very good condition, with the exception of missing its scabbard and the blade having a series of nicks to the cutting edge. It is difficult to guess how these occurred, but the blade does show the signs of having been service sharpened repeatedly and then slightly blunted later on. The hilt is firm, with only the very tiniest amount of movement to the guard. A fantastic sword by any standard, but the provenance of this is top level.
