May & Annis

Extending the work begun by the late Captain H.T.A. Bosanquet in his book ’The Naval Officer’s Sword’ published in the 1950s, this impressive study ’Swords for Sea Service’, originally published in 1970, has formed the standard reference on the subject for over 50 years and is based on the sword collection in the National Maritime Museum of Greenwich.

Founded on much research, the museum’s collection grew to more than four times the size of that available to Captain Bosanquet. Many weapons lay outside the scope of his work - these were also set out and examined. Foreign naval weapons are also described in much greater detail than before.

Photographs of some 150 swords, dirks and cutlasses illustrate the more important variations relating to each type, and each general group is drawn together to present a coherent story, with weapons placed in a personal historical context by the provision of brief biographical studies of those by whom they were used. This work also provides much further information about the British sword trade, with comments on the industry and an extensive list of makers and retailers.