British infantry sword

[ALEXANDER71]

Dear friends. Prompt please that means the image on a blade?
Respect, Alexander.

[Will Mathieson]

Interesting field officers sword, looks like a family crest and initials. Can you post a photo of the guards design and are there any other identifyable etchings on the blade? Is there a makers/retailers name on the blade?
Good chance that you can ID the original owner.

[Will Mathieson]

Bottom of page 27 is the surname Hammersley, this is a close match, only the shape of the cross is slightly different, most likely this name.
http://books.google.ca/books?id=yVsEAAA ... &q&f=false

[Jonathan]

With the initials G.R., I think we need to keep looking.

[L. Braden]

"Georgius Rex"? Or "Gulielmus Rex" (William III)? But as Will implied, dragon crest with (St. George's?) cross may provide the answer.

[Jonathan]

G.R. are the initials of the owner, and the crest that of his family. At least that is the usual arrangement. The cross is a Maltese cross, so different from the crest in Will's link. If we can learn more about the sword--maker/retailer name, hinged or fixed hilt--we can narrow down the dates and then hit the Army Lists looking for officers with the initials GR. From there we can search for the crests associated with the surnames we turn up. That is one way to go about it, anyhow. The College of Arms could probably clear things up quickly, but there is a fee for their services.

[L. Braden]

It's not a Maltese cross, but a cross patty or pattee, held by a demi-dragon; and the sword belonged to Lt. Col. George Ryley, formerly of the 74th Bengal Native Infantry, who died on Jan. 30, 1873, at Carlton Lawn, Cheltenham, aged 56.

[Will Mathieson]

Mystery solved. Good Work. How I overlooked the initials is a mystery!

[Waggoner]

So, L. Braden, how did you solve the mystery? What sources did you use? Great detective work!

All the best,

Gary

[Jonathan]

Well done!

[L. Braden]

So, L. Braden, how did you solve the mystery? What sources did you use? Great detective work!

All the best,

Gary

By consulting every online book of crests. The Ryley dragon was originally without a cross, which was added either arbitrarily or from a marital merging of crests. There were no other matches of dragons/crosses with surnames beginning with "R".
Best Regards to All, and thanks indeed for the kind words!

[Will Mathieson]

It now looks like family tree research to find what marriage produced the cross. Wouldn't want to end the fun too soon!
The sword being Bengal Native Infantry, does it have that etching on the blade? Can you post photos of it?

[L. Braden]

You anticipated me, Will, in keeping this going!
Ryley's wife's surname was Wilkinson, but I could find no connection re crest. However, all sources indicate that both symbols were peculiar to the Ryleys: "Ryley, Crest, a demi[-]dragon[,] or, holding a cross pat[t]ee[,] fitched [fitchee,] sa." (The brackets indicate the various spellings and punctuations.)
(Cont'd)

[L. Braden]

There's no "fitche" or sharp point to the cross pattee, but the dragon is a "demi", so that may be insignificant. HOWEVER, what if my original suggestion re "Georgius Rex" is correct and the weapon in question is merely a generic "parade" or "tailor's" sword with the cross of St. George, which is similar to and sometimes synonymous with the cross pattee (but not the 8-spiked Maltese), and with the dragon that is associated with St. George? Crosses and dragons were common military as well as royal symbols. If such a design has been seen before on swords or other weapons, it might provide a clue.

P.S. By the way, Ryley evidently experienced little or no combat. He commanded the convalescent depot at Landour during the Mutiny and retired in the early 1860s. I'll check re the Sikh Wars, and I don't know if the 74th BNI was involved in any minor conflicts.

[Jonathan]

The sword dates to after 1845, so I think your attribution to Ryley is correct.