An attractive Spanish “Bilbao” Cavalry Sword dated 1801 on the blade.

The sword is mounted with a deep asymmetrical slotted cup hilt cut with a lined edge and a broad 31 inch (79 cm) double edged blade which tapers to its point. It has a short ricasso on the outside after which it is of flattened hexagonal  section to its tip. It is marked  on one side with a crowned letter “R” followed by “Cs IV” for King Carlos IV of Spain (ruled from 1788 to 1808). The reverse side is marked with a letter “C” for Cavalry followed by a letter “T” with a small letter “o” above for Toledo and the date 1801, the year of manufacture of the blade.

The quillons are of rounded section with double grooves at the terminals as is the knucklebow where it meets the pommel which is also cut with two pairs of grooves at its swollen middle either side of the slot which secures the guard into the knucklebow.

The quillon block has rounded langets which extend downwards into the cup alongside the ricasso which is marked on one side with a deeply struck letter “A”. Crescent shaped counter-facing pas d’ane rings  extend downwards from the cross guard either side of the ricasso, the terminals of which are screwed to the cup guard from the outside. The pommel is of flattened ovoid form with an integral button on top and flared ribbed neck beneath. The grip is of flattened oval cross section bound with twisted copper wire reinforced with four embedded vertical iron staves. Rounded iron washers are applied top and bottom which secure the ends of the staves.

The sword is in good condition and is 38 inches (97 cm) in total length.