The 1828/65/68 Pattern Highland Officers Basket Hilted Broadsword

By Peter Busch, SFMO Staff Writer

Arguably one of the most imitated of swords today is that worn by Highland Officers in Scottish Regiments, today comprising the British Army. Part of the reason for this popularity is due to Scottish nationalism, either by Scots in Scotland and elsewhere in the United Kingdom and Ireland, or by descendents of Scots typically living in North America, Australia and New Zealand.

Previously mistakenly called the Claymore, it would appear in the 1990s to now more popularly and properly be referred to as the Basket - hilted Broadsword. Basket - hilted because the hilt is defined as being a full basket, as opposed to a three quarter, half or quarter basket hilt (Robson 1975). Broadsword because the blade is typically double edged (even if broadsword was a Victorian (1837 - 1901) addition to the English language), as opposed to Backsword, being a single edged straight blade.

Today the Highland Officers Basket Hilted Broadsword is one of the "regulation patterns" worn by commissioned officers, although admittedly another version exists for senior Non - Commissioned Officers (NCOs), as illustrated in Dufty (1974), Enfield having been a manufacturer.

The 1828/65/68 pattern is by no means the most commonly worn by Britain and its former Empire, today referred to as the Commonwealth. That honour would doubtless go to the 1897 Pattern Infantry Officer's sword, in practice worn by more than just infantry officers (such as the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, the Medical Corps and the Royal Engineers to name but a few other branches of service).

Note should be made of the fact that the 1828/65/68 Pattern Basket Hilted Broadsword is also worn occasionally by Drum Majors of Scottish Pipe Bands, whether military, civil or police (whether this is actually regulation, the author is unsure).

The Historical Background

Britain (meaning essentially England) in the 18th century could be said to have lagged somewhat behind the continental powers of the day in regard to 'standardizing' military patterns of swords. The first formal patterns in the British army were adopted in 1788, whereas Prussia for example had already adopted a pattern for Cuirassiers in 1732, and another pattern for Dragoons in the same year (Wagner 1975). Given the martial qualities of the Highlanders, the English felt the best system would be to incorporate Highland fighting talents into the British Army (Rebellion), and this they did in 1739 with the founding of the 42nd Foot, better known as the Black Watch . By 1788 however there were some six "highland" infantry regiments and a further three such "lowland" regiments (Robson 1975).

Scotland had long had a love affair with the Basket - hilted broadsword which began as early as the 17th. century. One sword raised from the Mary Rose provides a clue as to the early appearance of the basket hilt on the British mainland, an example of which has been reproduced in limited number by the Wilkinson Sword Company. Note should be made of the fact that the blades originally used in the swords were however typically of German manufacture being normally produced at that famous centre of edged weapon manufacture, Solingen. Indeed the Solingen cutlers even had a term for blades produced for the Scottish market, namely "Grosse Schotten" (i.e. Great/Large/Broad Scots), on account of the blade breadth typically preferred by the Scots.

The reason for the adoption of patterns in 1788 was largely one of efficiency. The system up until then as so admirably explained by Robson in his landmark texts (1975, 1996), was that of one where the Colonel in charge of each regiment would simply choose the most appealing sword, based on principles of aesthetics and of course economics. With such a system in place one can only too easily comprehend the disparities that would have been prevalent in the quality of swords from one regiment to the next, not to mention the logistical problems of re-supply when baskets and blades would break.

The 1798 Pattern

By 1788, Highland Officers (and NCOs) had become quite used to carrying the basket hilt, even if it had been made illegal for civilians to do so some 40 odd years earlier in the wake of Cullodon (1746). In the late 18th century hilts were either gilded copper or steel. It was not, however until 1798 that an official pattern was chosen for highland officers. The sword chosen as the 1798 pattern featured a gilt brass basket with a black leather scabbard with complementary gilt brass fittings (Robson 1975). The blades of these were likely of Solingen origin, although doubtless examples would have existed stamped Gill, Woolley or Osborn(e). The pictures to the right illustrate the 1798 pattern sword.

The Year 1822

From 1821 - 1822, in the wake of the Napoleonic wars, a major overhaul was undertaken of British Swords (amongst many other military items), this being initiated to quite some degree by the militarophilic King George IV (1820 - 1830). The military regulations however stipulated that the standard "English" infantry officers "gothic-hilted" sabre should be adopted by all infantry (i.e. including Highland) regiments, an example of the hilt of which may be seen below. This "situation" was soon rectified by permitting first the 92nd. highland and then other highland regiments to continue wearing the basket - hilted broadsword.

Robson (1975) notes that by this stage the sword was described:

"... as [being of] Highland pattern with gilt basket hilt and scabbard mounts and a straight cut and thrust blade 33 inches long and 1 inch wide at the shoulder. The scabbard was to be of black leather and the gilt mounts were to have loose rings as well as a frog catch since the sword was intended to be used with either slings or a frog (:126 - 127)."

The 1828 Pattern

With true military efficiency however a change was made in 1828 to a new pattern with a steel basket hilt, no doubt for reasons of uniformity, greater basket strength and reduced expense. Nevertheless officers were permitted to continue wearing their gilt brass basket pattern until they "wore out" and then have them replaced with the "correct" pattern. It is the 1828 pattern that we are most familiar with today. At this time the scabbard was still of black leather although with complementary steel mounts, ending peculiarly in a ball chape. But by 1834, field officers (i.e those of the rank of major and above (Harris 1997)), as well as adjutants were permitted a full steel scabbard, still ending in a ball chape.

The 1828/65/68 Pattern

In 1868, the combined 1828 pattern steel basket hilt and 1834 pattern full steel scabbard combination was confirmed as the pattern for all Highland officers, not just simply those of field rank, and it is this pattern that has truly persisted to the modern day.

The Hilt

Although not necessarily part of regulation, certain differences exist in 1828/65/68 pattern swords found today (of modern manufacture or otherwise). Due to the arising of certain distinct centres of manufacture in the 17th. and 18th. centuries, it is not surprising that different 'styles' of basket hilts came about over the years. Such styles were labelled 'Stirling', or 'Glasgow' or 'Edinburgh' after the place of manufacture. Stirling hilts for example were typically considered to be very well made (Wallace 1970).

In terms of the construction of the baskets, the initial method seems initially to have pointed bars protruding into the pommel. Later on this method evolved into what all basket hilts have today, namely a "pommel ring" onto which the bars of the basket are brazed. The pommel ring simply slipping onto the tang of the blade, the whole assembly being fastened by a tang nut.

Basket Construction

Today baskets may be encountered of essentially three main types.

1. What can perhaps be called the most traditional style insofar as the hilt is concerned, is that constructed of 'bars' and steel 'plate' being forge welded together as indicated in the picture directly below.

2. Another style also seen, is that of a cast iron basket that is typically nickel plated, as shown in the following picture:

3. What seems to be most commonly manufactured today however is the style encountered in examples by the Wilkinson Sword Company (Wilkinson Basket Hilt), and wonderfully shown in a film shot by them in 1967 (Swordcraft), whereby the 'basket' is formed 'in the flat' as a sheet by way of a mould and then hammered into shape over an appropriately shaped wooden or metal block, then being brazed together. Perhaps this is just a 20th century rendition of the ribbon - hilted broadswords popular in the 18th. century as covered to quite some degree by Wallace (1970).

In the late 19th century, most notably from about the 1880s through to about 1914, a number of the highland regiments adopted a cruciform hilt, which could be affixed to the blade. At about this time the full basket hilt was understandably made to be taken off the blade to allow the fitting of the cruciform hilt, for which the nut on top of the pommel may be noted. Each of the highland regiments that briefly adopted this cruciform hilt had quillons ending in differently shaped knobs (Robson 1975). Oddly enough the reason given by Robson for the adoption of this hilt was that the basket was too constrictive for the hand to allow "proper" combat, although understandably of course the cruciform hilt would have provided far less protection for the hand.

Finally of course it may be noted that all of the baskets appear to incorporate a lining. This lining is typically of thin buff leather, covered with British scarlet baize (a woollen cloth), edged with blue silk ribbon, and topped off with a red silk tassel. The reason for this lining was presumably to keep the hand warm, protect the fingers from thrusts, and of course for reasons of attractiveness. The reason for the tassel however, was originally at least to prevent chafing according to Wallace (1970).

"Late in the seventeenth century a short, thick woollen fringe, fitted inside the guard just below the pommel, was introduced - presumably to prevent chafing of the skin. As a probable consequence, it became the practice to leave the lower half of the pommel rough and unpolished, since it was almost entirely concealed by the fringe. This fringe was enlarged during the eighteenth century to the inordinate length it is now, and moved to outside the hilt (:27)."

The Blade

The blade of the 1828/65/68 pattern was originally manufactured with more than one fuller, typically two as indicated in the following pictures, and occasionally more than two. However as of about the 1880s, the fuller changed to a single one, which is still the case today.

Nevertheless note should be made of the short double fullers found in the ricasso, which have been a characteristic of the pattern, and indeed Scottish Basket hilts from the beginning and may be noted in the hilt pictures above. The circular brass proof mark was a Wilkinson invention of about the 1860s, which other sword cutlers were only to keen to copy.

The Scabbard

The following two pictures provide a good indication of the unique scabbard which ends in a ball chape. Today the steel scabbard is only worn in full dress (or No. 1 dress), that is the traditional formal uniform as seen on parade. The manufacture of this scabbard is quite explicitly described by Wilkinson-Latham (1966) whereby the sheet steel comprising the body is shaped over a mandrel and then brazed together. The ball chape, throat and carrying rings are then added, the scabbard then finally being nickel plated.

In field or service dress, (in other words the slightly less formal khaki or green uniform, but not actually combat dress), a leather covered timber scabbard with steel ball chape is worn today (Wilkinson example).

Conclusion

While many people seem to refer to this pattern as the 1865, Robson (1996) notes that this is really an 1828 pattern sword (in other words when the brass hilt changed to steel), and it was only in 1868 when all highland officers began wearing the steel scabbard with the 1828 pattern sword. A considerable number of authors have actually been used to referring to this sword as the 1865 pattern, and it is partly for this reason, that the writer is still using this date so that readers in general may be more easily able to identify with the sword in question. In any case, it is a popular sword, while the complexity of its hilt typically ensures that it is not only relatively highly sought after, but also not the cheapest in the Wilkinson line up for that matter either.

Author's Thanks

I have several people to thank for their wonderful pictures used in this article. Firstly I would like to thank Messrs. Robert Miller of Liongate Arms and Armour for the 1865 pattern and Patrick Tougher of Scottish Sword and Shield for the 1798 pattern jpegs. Also to be thanked are Mr. David Agatstein for his 1822 pattern picture and last but not least Mr. Richard Clark for the cruciform hilt picture.

Bibliography