A Scarce Sword to The Kings Royal Rifle Corps.
Scarce and interesting Victorian, regimentally marked, sword of the 60th Rifles, The Kings Royal Rifle Corps. This is an 1827 Pattern Rifle Officers sword, with 1845 type fullered blade, etched with the Regimental name to both sides and with the Rifles strung bugle symbol. The gothic steel guard also features the strung bugle symbol beneath a Victorian crown.
The sword was retailed by C. Smith & Sons of 12 Piccadilly London, which suggests it was manufactured before 1868 as the partnership was dissolved in that year and
it probably dates from the 1850s or 1860s.
The Kings Royal Rifle Corps were first formed as the 62nd (Royal American) Regiment in 1756 to defend the American Colonies form the French, the Regiment was renumbered the 60th in 1757 after two other regiments were removed for surrendering. Men with with skill in forest fighting were recruited and uniforms were adapted for ease of movement when on active service, the regiment first officially became a specialist Rifles unit when equipped with Baker Rifles in 1800 but had been using some types of rifle since the 1750s. It was renamed the Duke of York’s Own Rifle Corps in 1815 and The King’s Own Rifle Corps in 1830.
This sword may have been used during some of the many campaigns in which the KRRC took part since the 1850s including the Indian Mutiny 1857-9, China 1860, Canada 1860s and Red River Expedition 1870, 2nd Afghan War 1878-80, the Anglo Zulu War 1879, The Boer War, and with the converted field service scabbard it could have been used in the First World War. It is thought that at the beginning of the First World War the KRRC had 40 individual battle honours, more than any other British regiment.
The sword comes with its original steel scabbard which has been converted to a field service scabbard by the removal of the loose rings and then cladding the steel in brown leather and adding a scabbard support for affixing it to a Sam Browne sword frog. This may have been done at any time in the late Victorian period when Sam Browne equipment became popular for officers on active service especially in India.
The sword blade has been replated at some point and is generally in good condition with just a little loss of plating near the tip.
Dimensions:
Blade Length: 32.5 Inches (82.50 cm)
Overall Length: 38 Inches (96.50 cm)
£395.00
