Rehilts

[james.elstob]

Hi all,

Just looking at a sword whose officer began in the infantry in 1890, and ended his career commanding the Gurkha rifles.

So his sword hilt will very likely have went 1822, 1895/97 (possibly both if he was a fashionable/rich chap) before finishing up as it did, with an 1827 rifles.

It started me wondering who holds the record for number of career re-hilts. This chap has had 3 possibly 4 which is probably not at all rare. Now throw in a staff position and say a dalliance in the cavalry as a younger man and suddenly you need your second set of fingers!

I bet Robert Wilkinson-Latham dealt with a few serial re-hilters in his time.

[Will Mathieson]

I would assume you have a Wilkinson sword with 1845p blade?

[james.elstob]

Hi Will, it's not mine, just an example that got me thinking.
It's actually a Pillin with a 45 blade.

I just wondered if anyone had any examples of multiple re-hilts. The trouble is of course that as sword collectors were only able to be able to make assptions about previous hilt changes.

I bet the winner would be a journeyman officer, punctilious, possibly vane and well off but not rich, or else he might just buy multiple swords for every new regiment.

I wonder if anyone got to 10!