A Jacobite Mourning Sword.

A Jacobite Mourning Sword.

Introduction.

I bought the Hanwei Scottish Back sword some 2 years ago at www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/
It was discounted because there was no scabbard.
When I got it, I saw the basket liner was very dirty and flabby, so that had to go.
All of the above gave me the opportunity to do something different with this sword.
I decided to turn it into a Jacobite Mourning sword, an old battle sword, turned into
a functional,ceremonial and symbolic item, commissioned by a Catholic Scottish gentleman,
at the demise of Charles I.



What was done.

The basket liner:
Took the sword apart and removed the basket liner.
Took the liner apart and used the pattern to make a leather inner and a Royal Purple
velvet outer liner. This velvet I had left from a time when I made boxes for antique guns.
The leather inner liner I made from some scraps, sewed together, moistened and inserted
into the basket with a plastic bag filled with water on top.
The result was a stiff, form fitted leather dome.
Over this I sewed the velvet outer liner, placed the two in the basket, trimmed the edges
and sewed and glued two twisted black cords in place that follow the rim of the basket.
Also removed the black paint from the grip and gave it a wash with walnut stain glaze.
Re wired with one twisted silver wire and two blued single ones on either side.
Made a pommel crown from a part of the glass holder from an old 19th century oillamp.
It fitted exactly, was annealed and formed and was silver plated a lead grey.
A sword knot, made from a black sash, cord and a slide made from boiled leather,
complements the affair.








The scabbard:
The core was made from 1.5 mm book binders board.
The rounded sides from small wooden profiles. Inside I glued a channel made from tiny wooden
profiles salvaged from a wooden ship model building kit. This was to hold the sharp edge of the
blade in place. All of the interior of the scabbard was covered with blue felt.
The decorations came from a 19th century jewelry box and were silver plated.
They are in a late Renaissance cum Baroque style appropriate for the time this sword is
supposed to have been commissioned.
From some scrap copper I made the scabbard mouth and the chape.
Found an nice chape knob in the junk box. Silvered the lot.











Summary.
I hope the imaginary Scottish gentleman would have liked the results.



Cheers.