Marked with the Broad Arrow of the British Admiralty. The cutlass was the standard weapon of ratings, or the non-commissioned sailors of the Royal Navy. These short, wide bladed swords were originally of non-uniform design but a standard cutlass was introduced at the start of the 19th Century. The 1845 Pattern cutlass introduced a more bowl shaped hand guard which provided greater protection, though this one has the straight blade usually associated with the earlier 1804 pattern. A great artifact of the period.
