Royal Naval Reserve Officer's Presentation Sword

Maker Wilkinson

Datec 1900

Object number00019153

NameSword

MediumBrass, fish skin, steel

DimensionsOverall: 75 x 950 x 105 mm

ClassificationsArmament

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionThis Naval Officer's Sword is thought to have belonged to Surgeon Lieutenant Commander K. B. Donovan of the Royal Naval Reserve. It features ornate engravings with the phrases 'dieu et mon droit' ('God and my right'), which features on the Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom, and 'honi soit qui mal y pence' ('Shame be to him who thinks evil of it'), which is the motto of the British Order of the Garter.HistoryThe naval officer's sword and scabbard symbolises the pomp of naval officers' dress and are an important ceremonial aspect of naval life. By the mid-nineteenth century, cutlers and manufacturers were active in many English industrial centres, notably Birmingham. The weapons were designed exclusively for use at sea and developed in the late eighteenth century, with the Royal Navy producing the first regulation sword pattern in 1905. Throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth century, these regulations were regularly revised. Officers usually carried swords when landed, and many preferred to maintain two swords: one for ceremonial use, and one for combat. By the early twentieth-century, swords were seldom used during boarding action, but were retained for ceremonial and presentation use. This sword is thought to have been manufactured in the early twentieth century. Its manufacturer, Wilkinson, has been active in London from 1772, and underwent a significant expansion in the 1890s.SignificanceThe Naval Officer's sword symbolises the pomp of Naval Officers' dress and are an important ceremonial aspect of Naval life. The presence of Royal mottos is indicative of the strong historical links between Britain and Australia.