Sword,Saber, Ceremonial: Lieut. Colonel Brown Chamberlin, C.M.G., M.P.
Entry/Object ID
M176 a-g
Description
[a]: One curved and tapered steel blade, bearing the maker's mark and proof mark. Finely etched and inscribed. Guard is a two-bar gothic open half basket type with a Victorian crown over a beaver and maple leaves below, made of silver and gold-plated. The back strip of the hilt is also made of silver and gold-plated. The grip is made of ivory with 5 grooves, each of which has three strands of twisted gold-colored wire. There is a steel tang button at the end of the hilt.
[b]: One gold colored cord with blue stripes. Forms a loop which ends in a ball of vertical 'tassels' attached at each end. The tassel ball has 13 strands of coiled gold wire and 8 strands of coiled blue fabric.
[c]: One gold-plated steel scabbard with inscription. Each third of the bottom two-thirds is ornately engraved. The top third has two small metal rings, the right side bears an inscription, and the left side is inscribed with the head of an ass and the motto: "mors potior magula" (death before dishonor); it is also ornately engraved.
[d]: One gold plated steel scabbard with 2 ring lockets at its top third section. There are leaf-like engravings at the bottom and at each locket on both sides. The rest of the scabbard is un-decorated.
[e]: One belt with a short and long scabbard sling. Made of red leather decorated with two bands of silver thread with red fabric between them. Buckle is circular in two pieces with a disc-shaped right half for inserting through an oblong hole in the center of the ring-shaped left half, forming the design of a queen's crown in a circle surrounded by a wreath of laurel leaves.
[f]: One red leather sash decorated with three bands of silver thread and 2 strips of red fabric on each side of the center band. It forms a loop. The ends taper and are fed through a collar to 2 bands from which two groups of silver and red tassels are hung.
[g]: One wooden storage box with dovetail joints. It has a lock in the center, and two swiveling hook latches on either side. There is a round brass plate embedded in the lid. No identifying marks. Inside, it has some green felt-covered blocks and specially cut recesses for storing the sword and scabbards.
Made/Created
Manufacturer
Henry Wilkinson
Date made
1870
Place
City
london
Country
England
Notes
Country of origin: CANADA
SERIAL NUMBER: 12729
Additional create date: 1870
Inscription/Signature/Marks
Notes
A: INSCRIPTION: "Presented by Citizens of Ottawa to Lieut. Colonel B. Chamberlin, M.P. / 60th Battalion Missisquoi Volunteers / for gallantry in repelling the Fenian Invasion at Eccles Hill, Canada, 25th May, 1870". ALSO: HEAD OF AN ASS(?) WITH MOTTO: "MORS POTIOR MAGULA" (DEATH BEFORE DISHONOUR); Star of David with initials "HW" inset in the center, in gold.LEFT SIDE OF BLADE: "Henry / Wilkinson / Pall Mall / London"; "BC"; "Watch the Front / Watch Weel"; "Missisquoi / LX / Volunteers"; "Eccles Hill / 25th May, 1870" and the image of a crown above a beaver and two maple leaves. SWORD SERIAL NUMBER: 12729. Stamped into guard: makers marks "RH", a side profile of a lion, an animal's face (lion?), "R", and a side profile of a woman's head. Stamped into back strip, near guard: Makers marks"H---", a side profile of a lion, and a side profile of a woman's head.C: INSCRIPTION: "Presented / by Citizens of Ottawa to / Lieut. Colonel B. Chamberlin, M.P. 60th Batt. (Missisquoi) Volunteers. / For gallantry in repelling the Fenian Invasion / at Eccles Hill, Canada / 25th May, 1870". On other side: HEAD OF AN ASS(?) WITH MOTTO: "MORS POTIOR MAGULA" (DEATH BEFORE DISHONOUR)
Lexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Secondary Object Term
Saber
Nomenclature Primary Object Term
Sword
Nomenclature Sub-Class
Edged Weapons
Nomenclature Class
Armaments
Nomenclature Category
Category 05: Tools & Equipment for Science & Technology
Search Terms
CEREMONIAL OBJECT, CEREMONIAL OBJECT, Communication Artifacts
Legacy Lexicon
Object Name
Sword, Ceremonial Saber
Dimensions
Height
11.6 cm
Width
9.5 cm
Depth
96 cm
Length
96 cm
Dimension Notes
The measurements are for [a].
Height
46.5 cm
Diameter
5 cm
Dimension Notes
The measurements are for [b].
Height
6.8 cm
Width
85 cm
Depth
2.2 cm
Dimension Notes
The measurements are for [c].
Height
6.8 cm
Width
85 cm
Depth
2.2 cm
Dimension Notes
The measurements are for [d].
Height
97 cm
Width
3.2 cm
Dimension Notes
The measurements are for [e].
\n Short scabbard sling length: 33.5 cm
\n Long scabbard sling length: 71 cm