Remarkable and rare 16th Century Solingen made, broadsword bladed British P1796 Infantry Officer's Sword. The blade made circa 1590 by a known blade-smith, Jaspar Bungen. The blade being a George III period fitted replacement.
The P1796 is an elegant sword but was unfit for purpose as both blade and hilt were too light for combat use. In a now famous quote, Captain Mercer of the Royal Artillery at Waterloo commented:
"Nothing could be more useless or more ridiculous than the Infantry regulation [sword]; it was good neither for cut nor thrust and was the perfect encumbrance."
While typically the P1796 had a single edged spadroon blade, many officers - those more likely to have to use their sword, opted to replace the blade with something more robust and suitable for combat.
Regulations at the time stated that the new pattern sword should have a straight cut-and-thrust blade, at least 32 inches long and 1 inch wide at the shoulder. This lack of a clear directive on the form of the blade allowed a variety of different blades to be used.
In the case of this sword, it is likely that the blade was a family heirloom, the original sword having been handed down and used by subsequent generations. A martial and familial tradition that would have very much appealed to the Georgians.
The 82 cm flexible, double-edged blade is 3 cm wide at the ricasso and tapers to a sharp, rounded point, which is typical of blades of this period. The blade has a short, shallow central fuller on both sides. The fuller extends for only 20 cm along the blade.
The blade is inscribed on both sides with the legend "Me Fecit (Jaspar Bungen) Solingen" between Solingen orbs and the Passau Running Wolf mark. The Running Wolf mark helps date the blade to the late 16th Century, as do the Solingen orbs. The maker, Jaspar Bungen (also found spelt Bongen) was an established blade-smith, a member of a family team working in Solingen in the 16th and early 17th Centuries.
The blade is worn but retains its fighting edges and is in excellent condition for its 330 plus years of age. The blade has only minor tarnish and shallow speckled pitting. Both edges have minor contact nicks.
This sword has the early pattern fixed double shell guard. Later models adopted a folding guard to make wearing it more comfortable and to reduce wear to the officer's uniform. The D shape knuckle bow is largely unadorned, terminating in acanthus style engraving where it meets the pommel. The urn-shaped pommel has a simple foliate design. The gilded brass hilt and guard are in good condition and the twisted wire grip is tight and undamaged. The guard and hilt will polish nicely if desired. The blade is firm in the hilt. There is some play in the guard, which is usual for this pattern as the guard is separate to the hilt and knuckle bow.
This is an exceptional sword, made so by having a period fitted, late 16th Century blade by a known maker.
