Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An unusual custom built solid-patent tang cavalry officer’s fighting sword, by Reeves, the heavy 90cm blade struck on the back edge ‘Reeves patent’, single wide fuller back-edged and spear-pointed, undecorated but for the retailer’s details within a cartouche ‘Millan & Mann, George Street, Edinburgh’, steel bowl guard pierced through with a ‘Maltese Cross’ device, simple border engraving following the outline of the cross and around the edge of the guard, two slots to the back of the guard, the top part of the guard also pierced with a slot for a sword-knot, flat elongated pommel, no provision for a ferule or back-strap the tang being visible on both sides of the grip plaques, which are of polished vulcanite secured to the solid tang by seven rivets through each, complete with its steel scabbard with two hanging rings, minor dents to scabbard otherwise in good condition overall, and an interesting sword £250-300

Charles Reeves, Sword-Cutler and Gunmaker, is recorded at No. 8 Air Street, Piccadilly, London, from 1853.

The Edinburgh retailers Millan & Mann have yet to be traced.

This sword appears to be based on the 1864 pattern troopers sword, with some variations, presumably built to the special order of a cavalry officer as a fighting sword, plain undecorated blades being popular with Indian Army officers.