How to RESEARCH an antique BRITISH ARMY sword

[@dasgaardhistory4387]

It's amazing how Matt's videos pass on such pride on his work, that inspires me to keep studying!

[@123edwardzpad]

Thank you.. That was a brilliant elaboration. And you were looking very good at the Dijon tournament. It was nice to see you dominate with the long sword in a aggressive, yet disciplined manner. Your years of research and practice, shows brilliantly in all the work.

[@Philistine47]

Thanks for this video. "Tips on how/where to research niche subjects" is highly relevant to my interests.

[@barnettmcgowan8978]

That was fascinating learning your research process. Thanks for sharing. I would watch more like this. In particular, learning more about some interesting sword owners.

[@adieedwards9902]

Thanks Matt, that was really interesting and informative. You’ve now given me a starting point and resources to go and start trying to identify a sword I have with a Wilkinson stamp on it. Great video

[@mtgAzim]

Matt, have you ever tried looking to see if any of these guys have direct relatives that are still around? That would be so cool if you were able to find someone, and show them the sword that their great, great, (however many "greats") grandfather owned. The fact that it's an object that you can know with absolute certainty was in the mans hand. I can imagine it could stir a lot of different feelings, having such a direct connection to the past.

[@brittakriep2938]

I am german, about 12 to 15 years ago, i visited a dance event, which happened in the large barn of a farmer. When i heared the farmers name ,von Mackensen' i was surprised , yes it was a relative of german wwl Fieldmarshall von Mackensen.

[@christophersloane6203]

I once purchased a WW1 US Navy sword that had a name on it. I tracked down his grand niece. After many emails back and forth convincing her that I didn’t want any money, it was not a scam and I just thought she should have it, she finally gave me her address. I shipped it off with tracking, so I would know that it arrived. And never heard from her again.

[@rickymherbert2899]

As an occassional browser of your channel Matt I found this particular video entertaining, informative and well worth now subscribing to your channel. I never knew there was so much resources available to actually, well nearly, put a name to a sword. Thank you. 👍

[@fruitshuit]

Very interesting! I'd love to see another video to the topic on how you research the owners after identification, I know with some of the swords you've sold you've included additional info about the owner's full service record, sometimes including pictures and such.

[@kez0o9]

Thanks was just wondering how to go about researching a sword I've just aquired

[@bo_392]

knowing WHO the sword belonged to adds so much value, story and context! makes that antique extra special, imo.

[@garyw.feather2750]

Thanks. A lot of great info that I didn't know.

[@HypocriticYT]

With help of a friend I discovered the name of the officer of a non Wilkinson sword. The family crest an Bombay NI was etched on the blade. The crest was to Sturt. Harts army list shows only one Sturt in the Bombay Native Infantry. It is Charles Sheppey Sturt, son of Charles Sturt of Australia. A very famous Australian family.

[@keithallardice6139]

Fascinating, as always! Cheers Matt ;-)

[@LawkzBro]

Do a video on that wilkinson's proofing method or whatever the hell you went on about on that tangent, that sounds interesting, but I felt you touched on it too briefly. If there's a video on it already, can someone point it out to me?

[@NikozBG]

I have a fleeting memory of that video existing, but I have no idea when it was published or what was it called. So I'll politely leave this comment here waiting for someone to link it down instead.

[@Kim-the-Dane-1952]

That was pretty cool thanks

[@coemptor]

Just getting back into sword research due to being retired and having more time for this stuff! Found this a really useful refresher and you approach researching a sword in much the same way I would. Having said that, history occasionally throws you a curve ball; for instance, I have a presentation sword to a William Henry Browne of the Indian Army. Problem in researching was that there were TWO Willian Henry Brownes, who joined the East India Company a year or two apart, and proceeded, promotion by promotion according to seniority, through long careers, each retiring within a year or so if each other. Untangling that b**tard of a puzzle is going to keep me busy for ages! On this particular sword, one thing that did occur (just to rule out other contenders) is an officer originally in the Heavy Cavalry who later transferred to the Lights (or the Yeomanry, who were by default all light cav), and just had his HC sword re-hilted, as the regulations allowed. However, that’s just to help others consider all angles - I’ve no doubt your sword owner ID is 100% correct. Thanks for sharing!

[@HypocriticYT]

Swords with provenance are for the advanced collectors that enjoy research and are willing to pay the premium. Wilkinson proof pages can be disappointingly difficult in that they can lack the owners name or have incorrect information and and lastly switched from one owner to another which seems to have happened during the Crimea War when the officer who ordered the blade has died and Wilkinson sells the blade to another officer.

[@jellekastelein7316]

Very useful Matt, thanks!

[@midshipman8654]

thanks for the video

[@cdjmk1000]

Thank you !

[@neptunenx01]

Fascinating stuff

[@ParryThis]

Hey Matt, Would it be possible for you to do a video about the specific sword or type that Sharpe uses? I have great interest in his sword, and you seem to be an expert in the area.

[@ryankolick4117]

Love the video and this is actually very helpful and informative on how to research swords. It's very interesting that multiple crests can be used for a combined surname i had never heard that before I hate to do this but your math was off on how many swords wilkinson needed to make to reach 5000 before 1854 if they started in 1844 they only needed 500 a year to hit that not 1000

[@aggroalex5470]

Very interesting vid. I obtained an old kukri from Nepal with dragon and flower engravings on the blade. Anything you would want photos of?

[@shaidrim]

One more question, did ever happened that once you got to the point you were able, like in this case, to accurately pinpoint the owner of a sword, that his family or relatives still alive contacted you (or the other way around) to buy the heirloom back?

[@robbikebob]

Fascinating. Must be so interesting and satisfying to rediscover someone's history like this. How much does history add to a sword? Say, 2 swords, both pretty identical, one with no name to it and one with a named (but not particularly interesting) officer to it. Would it make a difference to the price?

[@chringlanthegreat4556]

Did all kinds of Wilkinson’s swords have those serial markings? Did they discontinue doing them during the later years of production? Have a highland officer sword from the 1900s but it does not have one

[@scholagladiatoria]

All their private purchase military blades had them from 1854 onwards until the end. They did make government contract swords which were not numbered (as they were not private purchase) and they also made display swords (everything from shop window displays, to masonic swords) which were also not numbered.

[@chringlanthegreat4556]

@@scholagladiatoria thanks you, I got the sword from a bagpipe band I am part of. The band got them from I think the black watch in the 1970s-1980s (don’t know the exact time). Might have been those government contract swords. Which might explain why we got them from the regiment

[@jgommersJoka]

Awesome.. i own my self a Henry Wilkinson 29905. 1845 pattern Blade , 1827 pattern rifles hilt . Could you please Tell us some more about the etched symbols on blades ? Or where you find information about this topic. THX 🇳🇱

[@SirBeauJangles]

That was - pretty fascinating. Couldn't help wondering what you do if the family is still around, maybe even still in the same big house if they were moneyed nobility. Could be the sword was lost decades back in some theft or other. Do you need to surrender it in such a case?

[@shaidrim]

I have a question, you said that in your opinion mr. Wilkinsons over estimate the number of sword made in the previous 10 years cos they, by your calculation, made less than 1000 sword per year. But if Wilkinsons made sword for 10 years, wouldn’t it mean that he needed at least 500 swords to get up to 5000? Then, 500 is quite less than 1000, isn’t it? Or I misunderstood what you meant?

[@kenlombard3269]

I have a sword I've been curious about. It has been damaged and I am not looking into it on the idea of value, mostly curious. I thought it looked like a US Army ceremonial sword perhaps from the 1950's? I can make out part of a manufacturers inscription on the blade. To faded for most of the lengthy name on row one but on row two I can make out "???schbaum & C??" . Under that I can clearly see the word "Solingen". Thought maybe if someone recognized this, I might track down the company and learn more about it. Been staring at it for 45 years, thinking it's time to figure out what the heck it was.

[@600theescoreand6]

Thanks for that. I checked Hearts lists for a sword I own but Royal Marines Artillery didn't seem to be in there (I guess that's because it's navy) and I've tried other archives in the past, but to no avail. I know it's RMA , c1900 with the initials CT or TC. Any advice?

[@robertoflores4546]

Dumb question... Would I be wasting money on Damascus blades (did I waste money already) or are they as strong as, I guess “regular “ or single metal type blades? Obviously I need to learn more about them, but thanks for all the videos.

[@Tommiart]

Matt was is it a practice among officers to swap or gift swords? Perhaps in moments of brotherhood or gratitude?

[@JAITEGAN_Singh_Shastar_Store]

Hello sir i want a British antique sword in india or londan can u help me

[@jellekastelein7316]

I'm curious, how did you go from getting the name to piecing together the history of the person? Do you use any specific resources for that sort of thing, other than google?

[@lancerd4934]

I once came across an antiques dealer who was trying to attribute a French sword to one "S. T. Etienne"

[@em.142]

lol

[@whiskeytangosierra6]

You might make a good land man. We stand around in courthouses and read deeds all day determining who actually owns the surface and mineral rights of land. Actual can vary wildly from who claims they own these things. In Texas we have to go way back, to the founding of the Republic or later, and names, spellings, marriages and divorces, not to mention foreclosures and general banditry can effect ownership. Can be quite the detective work at times. Added to this is the sad fact that apparently a lot of small town lawyers who drew up the instruments were apparently drunks too.

[@georgedennis3153]

I’ve never been first on a ScholaGladiatoria video!!!

[@spiffyracc]

Looks like you still haven't been...

[@andreweden9405]

Don't worry, I know what it's like! I think I'm first on like every other video, only to be deflated by Matt every single time! And I've been subbed for damned-near since he started!😀😂

[@dizzt19]

2:23 Oh, hello there. :3

[@gassanbehno7952]

👍 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍

[@deadflowers7017]

So, how did such a prominent man come to lose his sword ?

[@leppeppel]

TIL I can call my surname a "double-barrelled name." That almost makes up for all the hassle that comes with a hyphen. Almost.

[@lorquet21]

Would it not be easier to attribute swords to troopers?

[@4d4m22]

Not usually. Officers purchased their own swords and often had them marked as theirs. As troopers weren't officers they were just issued with swords from the armoury. The swords were government property not theirs and wouldn't be marked as belonging to an individual.

[@4d4m22]

​@David Single A rifleman of Sharpe's time would be issued with the pattern 1800 sword bayonet which actually seems like a pretty decent short sword. The idea was to compensate for the Baker rifle being shorter than the Brown Bess musket and to a degree to act as a sidearm on its own, as rifle companies would be more likely than line musket infantry to do hand to hand fighting in skirmishing and scouting etc. Having an actual officer's sword would be problematic. I guess he could potentially own one and keep it in his kit but it would depend on how tolerant his officers were. Most would probably not let him wear it being the symbol of an officer. It would be a pain at best. He'd be in trouble if he didn't have his issued bayonet and it would be annoying to wear a sword as well.

[@MrZdixo1]

Would they have any records for NCO swords?

[@Qwayeasn]

Kids, remember 4:19 !

[@myrrdyn]

Published 35 seconds ago... how is this possible?

[@michaelobyrne7525]

Get on with it

[@Autobong5000]

Looks like Paul Bettany has gained a little weight. He was great in A Knight's Tale though.

[@Dailykushtoker]

That’s mean man. y didn’t u just think that?