ENGLISH NAVAL SABER C.1760 BY FAMED MAKER

Made by Samuel Harvey, active 1748-88, Birmingham England. Brass hilt with four slot guard. Leather wrapped spirally fluted grip, made without wire. 25 5/8” curved broad and narrow fullered blade marked HARVEY at the forte. Swords of this type were carried on merchant ships to protect against piracy. The short length is suited for close quarter ship board fighting. During the Revolution, many were appropriated to arm American soldiers as firearms were in short supply. See Swords and Blades of the American Revolution, Neumann, #136.S for a near identical example with a variant pommel.