Beschreibung:

lot of 3. Includes an English, circa 1760-1780 unmarked silver mounted sword has a 31.25" long single-edged blade with false edge and three quarter length fuller with silver boat-shaped counter guard with stop-fluted edging, single-piece silver Pas d'Ane/quillon with reeding, double silver-wrapped grip with braided silver wire over reeded silver ribbon with reeded collar at front and rear of grip, all over leather-wrapped wood grip, swirled ribbed ball pommel with round capstan rivet, total length 37.5". Scabbard is sewn black leather with silver throat monogrammed TJ and in a similar fashion on a frog stud with feathered lower terminal, stamped by the maker IS in square touch. The middle band is of German silver with feathered terminals top and base and engraved family crest being winged spur with ribbon banner below engraved Nunquam Non Paratus and above Col. Thomas Johnston likely added later with 1.8" long tapered silver tip, total length 31.5". The matched American flintlock pistols, ca 1800-20 have ca 45 caliber 6" long round-to-octagonal brass barrels with geometric engraving, steel lock marked Ketland & Co., brass floral scrolled back plate and floral engraved trigger guards, butt plates and 2 ramrod sleeves each with original rods, full burled and curly maple stocks with oval silver escutcheon with the same engraved crest as the sword scabbard above and Col. Thomas Johnston above, total length 11". The National Army Museum, London lists three Thomas Johnson's as having served in her Majesty's service, one a member of the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment of Foot which was engaged in the American Revolution. 1790. The second Johnson was promoted Major and placed on half-pay, Bradshaw's late levy, 1810 edition and the third was commissioned Lieutenant in the army, July 25th, 1804 with the 4th West India Regiment. (For reference on Johnston's crest see Fairbank's Book of Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland reprint of the 4th edition, Baltimore, Heraldic Book Co., 1968, pg 308 & fig. 111.12.) The German silver middle band on the scabbard with the engraved crestis likely not original, and the silver escutcheons on the pistols were engraved sometime after the pistols were manufactured. The escutcheons on the pistols are made on 18th or 19th century Spanish or Spanish colonial silver coins (see photo). Unfortunately, the lineage of this grouping is not well known. Clearly, the pistols and swords were manufactured at two different time periods and places. The crests on both are post-manufacture additions. It is possible that these were added merely to identify their ownership and family lineage. The fact that the pistol crests are manufactured of early Spanish coins is of particular interest, since a forger could have easily used simple sheet silver or a more modern coin to perpetrate a fraud. Judging by the "shadows" on both the scabbard and pistols, these plaques were added long enough ago to produce a genuine variability in the coloring of covered areas versus those exposed to light. A historical curiosity. Condition: Sword missing knucklebow and with slight damage to silver wraps on grip, blade with evidence of cleaning and sharpening. Last 6 inches of scabbard tip appears to be an old repaired replacement, using the original drag which shows evidence of old, soldered repair. Pistols appear to have been lightly cleaned some time ago, VG.