A Fine English Silver Hilted Small Sword by Joseph Clare (II) of London hallmarked for 1765 / 1766 retailed by Bennett.

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Price: £2,775

Ref: 52112636

Item Description

A fine English silver hilted small sword by Joseph Clare of London with hallmarks for 1765 / 1766.  The hilt is mounted with a dish guard which is exquisitely pierced and chased with rococo foliate scrolls and sprays between curling tendrils of filigree delicacy. The design is the common theme on the other silver components of the hilt and scabbard. The sword is well-balanced in  hand and in excellent condition, having maintained its shape without damage or repair.  The sword is mounted with a tapering hollow ground triangular section colichemarde blade. The scabbard is missing its lower portion but retains its original upper silver mounts with the name of the retailer stippled into the back of the mouthpiece.

The sword hilt is in fine condition without losses or repairs and has maintained its original pleasing profile. The oval shaped shallow dish guard has a strengthened rim on the outside which supports the  chased foliate designs within centred on the repeated theme of an eight petaled floret. The ricasso, pas d’ ane rings, knuckle bow, quillon and pommel are pierced and chased in the same decorative style. The stamped maker’s mark of CLARE is impressed  on one side of the knucklebow near the pommel in raised relief inside a depressed panel accompanied by the crowned leopard’s head assay mark, the royal lion passant purity and date marks.

The baluster shaped rounded rectangular section grip is covered with spirally wrapped bevelled silver strip, separated by contra-twisted pairs of silver ropes, flanked by thinner ropes on either side. Silver cap terminals are present top and bottom of the grip engraved with scallops on each side. The stiff, tapering, hollow ground, blade is in fine condition and retains  its original engraved foliate panels near the hilt.

The hilt is an example of the high standards of design and execution required of the 18th century London silver hilt maker, as well as an example of one of the most effective weapons of the 17th and 18th centuries, which at this time was at the pinnacle of its evolution. Silver hilted small swords were fashionable attire for gentlemen. Mostly worn for effect, someone wearing one was also announcing to the world that he was able to use it. Despite the stylish and often delicate appearance of these swords they were formidable dueling weapons.

Joseph Clare, the hiltmaker, is recorded from 1732-1771 as a silversmith and silver hilted sword hilt maker. His mark on this sword is “CLARE” which is one of a few marks produced by Clare and is represented in Grimwade mark number 358.  His earlier marks were similar. He died in 1771.

The firm of Bennett was formed by John Bennett (I) who was initially a silver hilted sword maker who was made free of the Cutlers’ Company in 1731 and registered his first silversmith’s mark in 1732. In 1746 Bennett was recorded at an address in Threadneedle Street in the City of London opposite the north gate of “Ye Royal Exchange”. Bennet diversified into jewellery, goldsmithing and gunmaking. Key to understanding this sword is that Bennett was also a cutler and retailer. In this respect as a cutler he would assemble parts of silver hilted swords, made both by himself and bought in from other silversmiths like Clare, into finished swords, and would also buy in completed swords to retail.  As a result the hilt of this sword is stamped by Clare as the sword maker, and, the scabbard mouthpiece is engraved with: “Bennett & Son Royall Exchange” as the cutler / retailer. Bennett died in 1774 after which the business was taken over by his son John Bennett (II).

For further information on Joseph Clare see Leslie Southwick “London Silver-Hilted Swords”, their makers, suppliers and allied traders, with directory, 2001, Royal Armouries, page 72 for the biography and examples of his work in black and white plates 53 and 61 plus colour plate 5. For further information on John Bennett see page 45.

The blade is 31.75 inches (just under 81 cm) long and the overall length of the sword is just under 39 inches (just 98.5 cm).