Sword
1813-1814 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
From around 1640, light swords with short, flexible, pointed blades appeared in response to new fencing techniques that emphasised thrusting at speed. They were worn increasingly with civilian clothes as 'small swords', offering a means of self-defence but largely denoting status for the well-dressed gentleman.
Small swords were items of male jewellery. By the 1750s, their elaborate gold and silver hilts, mounted with precious stones and fine enamelling, were the products of the goldsmith and jeweller rather than the swordsmith. They made fitting rewards for distinguished military and naval service. With their blades tucked away inside scabbards, it was their ostentatious and expensive hilts that carried their thrust.
This gold hilted sword is decorated with the arms of Sir Rowland Hill (1772-1842) and the arms of the City of London and is inscribed: 'PRESENTED by the Corporation of the City of London pursuant to a Vote of the Common Council passed the 12th July 1813. The Right Honble George Scholey Mayor To LIEUT GENL SR ROWLAND HILL KB In testimony of the high Sense this Court entertains for his public services in the Skill Bravery and exertions so eminently displayed on the 21st day of June last When the French Army was compleatly defeated AT VITTORIA by the Allied Forces under the Command of Field Marshall the Marquis of Wellington'.
The sword was made by John Ray and James Montague, the esteemed hilt-makers, goldworkers and enamellers who succeeded James Morisset at Denmark Street, Soho, in around 1800. They thrived during the Napoleonic wars due to the prevalence of presentations swords as rewards for service, but lost business following Waterloo, when the demand for such items declined.
Small swords were items of male jewellery. By the 1750s, their elaborate gold and silver hilts, mounted with precious stones and fine enamelling, were the products of the goldsmith and jeweller rather than the swordsmith. They made fitting rewards for distinguished military and naval service. With their blades tucked away inside scabbards, it was their ostentatious and expensive hilts that carried their thrust.
This gold hilted sword is decorated with the arms of Sir Rowland Hill (1772-1842) and the arms of the City of London and is inscribed: 'PRESENTED by the Corporation of the City of London pursuant to a Vote of the Common Council passed the 12th July 1813. The Right Honble George Scholey Mayor To LIEUT GENL SR ROWLAND HILL KB In testimony of the high Sense this Court entertains for his public services in the Skill Bravery and exertions so eminently displayed on the 21st day of June last When the French Army was compleatly defeated AT VITTORIA by the Allied Forces under the Command of Field Marshall the Marquis of Wellington'.
The sword was made by John Ray and James Montague, the esteemed hilt-makers, goldworkers and enamellers who succeeded James Morisset at Denmark Street, Soho, in around 1800. They thrived during the Napoleonic wars due to the prevalence of presentations swords as rewards for service, but lost business following Waterloo, when the demand for such items declined.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Gold set with enamelled plaques |
| Brief description | The gold hilt set with enamelled plaques, with maker's mark of John Ray and James Montague, London hallmarks for 1813-1814 |
| Physical description | The gold hilt set with enamelled plaques of the arms of the City of London and of Hill. The shell guard is inscribed to the effect that the sword was presented to Lt. General Sir Rowland Hill in recognition of his services under Wellington at the Battle of Vittoria on 21st June, 1813. Maker's mark of John Ray and James Montague, London hallmarks for 1813-14 |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Object history | Presented by the City of London to Lieutenant General Rowland Hill for services at the Battle of Vittoria in 1813. This gold hilted sword is decorated with the arms of Sir Rowland Hill (1772-1842) and the arms of the City of London and is inscribed: 'PRESENTED by the Corporation of the City of London pursuant to a Vote of the Common Council passed the 12th July 1813. The Right Honble George Scholey Mayor To LIEUT GENL SR ROWLAND HILL KB In testimony of the high Sense this Court entertains for his public services in the Skill Bravery and exertions so eminently displayed on the 21st day of June last When the French Army was compleatly defeated AT VITTORIA by the Allied Forces under the Command of Field Marshall the Marquis of Wellington' The sword was made by John Ray and James Montague, the esteemed hilt-makers, goldworkers and enamellers who succeeded James Morisset at Denmark Street, Soho, in around 1800. They thrived during the Napoleonic wars due to the prevalence of presentations swords as rewards for service, but lost business following Waterloo, when the demand for such items declined. The Museum bought this sword in 1963 from the Royal United Services Institute Museum for £450 (RUSI Ref: 7867). The sword was described in the RUSI catalogue as a "dress rapier". It was one of a number of items associated with Rowland Hill given to RUSI by Caroline, the Viscountess Hill, wife of the 5th Viscount Hill. He died without issue in 1924, so the items were donated to RUSI after 1924, and before the Viscountess died in 1941. (Information supplied by Cliff Thornton, 14/04/2013) |
| Historical context | From around 1640, light swords with short, flexible, pointed blades appeared in response to new fencing techniques that emphasised thrusting at speed. They were worn increasingly with civilian clothes as 'small swords', offering a means of self-defence but largely denoting status for the well-dressed gentleman. Small swords were items of male jewellery. By the 1750s, their elaborate gold and silver hilts, mounted with precious stones and fine enamelling, were the products of the goldsmith and jeweller rather than the swordsmith. They made fitting rewards for distinguished military and naval service. With their blades tucked away inside scabbards, it was their ostentatious and expensive hilts that carried their thrust. |
| Summary | From around 1640, light swords with short, flexible, pointed blades appeared in response to new fencing techniques that emphasised thrusting at speed. They were worn increasingly with civilian clothes as 'small swords', offering a means of self-defence but largely denoting status for the well-dressed gentleman. Small swords were items of male jewellery. By the 1750s, their elaborate gold and silver hilts, mounted with precious stones and fine enamelling, were the products of the goldsmith and jeweller rather than the swordsmith. They made fitting rewards for distinguished military and naval service. With their blades tucked away inside scabbards, it was their ostentatious and expensive hilts that carried their thrust. This gold hilted sword is decorated with the arms of Sir Rowland Hill (1772-1842) and the arms of the City of London and is inscribed: 'PRESENTED by the Corporation of the City of London pursuant to a Vote of the Common Council passed the 12th July 1813. The Right Honble George Scholey Mayor To LIEUT GENL SR ROWLAND HILL KB In testimony of the high Sense this Court entertains for his public services in the Skill Bravery and exertions so eminently displayed on the 21st day of June last When the French Army was compleatly defeated AT VITTORIA by the Allied Forces under the Command of Field Marshall the Marquis of Wellington'. The sword was made by John Ray and James Montague, the esteemed hilt-makers, goldworkers and enamellers who succeeded James Morisset at Denmark Street, Soho, in around 1800. They thrived during the Napoleonic wars due to the prevalence of presentations swords as rewards for service, but lost business following Waterloo, when the demand for such items declined. |
| Bibliographic reference | North, Anthony, An Introduction to European Swords, Victoria and Albert Museum, London 1982, p. 40, No. 81 |
| Other number | 81 - North, European Swords |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.50-1963 |
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| Record created | March 30, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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