Naval Swords & Dirks plus Lord Nelson’s Swords (3 vol Special Offer!)

The Three best books ever published on Naval Swords and Dirks

By Sim Comfort

Naval Swords and Dirks, vol I and II and Lord Nelson’s Swords, vol III. Norman retail £225, special offer £199.00

Naval Swords and Dirks Vol I and II.

A study of British, French and American naval swords, cutlasses, hangers and dirks during the Age of Fighting Sail.

Naval Swords and Dirks reflects the weapons that a naval officer and his men would have used to gain their fame and is written as a companion to both Boarders Away and Swords for Sea Service. The object is to provide a number of colour images for each of 174 British, 21 French and 33 American hangers, cutlasses, officers’ swords and dirks. Included are fine images of hilts, but also all makers’ scabbard cartouches and details of blade design and marks, (1,200 plus colour images). In addition, the text provides a lively commentary by a collector written for fellow collectors and curators which includes a detailed description of each piece and biographical information to the many provenanced swords. A Glossary and comprehensive Index are also provided

Included in this collection are:

• Captain Broke’s fighting sword which he used when he and his men from HMS Shannon boarded and took USS Chesapeake. The shortest frigate action on record, (15 minutes).
• Captain Hardinge’s fighting sword which he wore when mortally wounded during the action between HMS San Fiorenzo and La Piemontaise. The longest frigate action on record, (three days).
• The sword surrendered to Captain Edward Pellew of HMS Nymph when she captured La Cleopatre, the first frigate action of the French Revolutionary Wars.
• The sword surrendered to Captain Edmund Palmer of HMS Hebrus when she captured L’Etoile, the last frigate action of the Napoleonic Wars.

The work comprises 559 pages printed on Regency Klassica 100 gsm paper and bound within two volumes small quarto (28.5 cm / 11.25 inches x 22 cm / 8.65 inches) complete with dust wrappers and a fine slip case. Signed limited edition of 750 copies only. £150 with free shipping to the UK

ISBN 978-0-905887-09-8

Lord Nelson’s Swords, Volume III of Naval Swords & Dirks

Featuring the swords of Admiral Lord Nelson, Admiral Lord Collingwood, Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy, Admiral the Earl of Northesk and Admiral the Earl of St Vincent with a fine selection of associated City of London, Egyptian Club and Nile swords along with a review of swords & vases from the Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund.

Something which has intrigued those who study naval edged weapons are the questions; what did Admiral Lord Nelson use as a fighting sword and where is it today? This new work identifies the sword and what it looked like, but where it is remains a mystery which hopefully a reader of this book will solve by finding it. The sword must be out there somewhere!.

In addition to the discussion regarding Lord Nelson fighting sword, the sections from the long out of print Swords for Sea Service by May and Annis, which relate to Nelson, Collingwood and Hardy, are all reprinted here. Contained is a mine of information which includes a survey of very fine City of London and Egyptian Club swords. Also included is a review of the swords and vases awarded by the Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund.

Written by a collector for other collectors and museum curators, this work will no doubt prove a valuable reference for all interested parties. Over 200 images provide many stunning colour pictures of a number of swords and paintings that are rarely seen by the general public. It is with the support of Britain’s major museums that this publication has been made possible.

Lord Nelson’s Swords provides the fitting extension of the two volume work Naval Swords and Dirks by exploring the finest of presentation swords to important naval commanders of the Nelson Era.

The work comprises 220 pages printed on GardaPat 13 Klassica 100 gsm paper and sewn bound as a quarto volume (28.5 cm / 11.25 inches x 22 cm / 8.65 inches), complete with dust wrapper. A signed limited edition of 500 copies only. £75.00 with free shipping to the UK.

ISBN 978-0-905887-10-4