EL6951 - A good early Victorian 1821 pattern light cavalry officer's sword, to a scarce maker Joseph Barlow of Lichfield. We know little about this maker, but the sword carries the VR cypher and the model was superseded in 1845, so it should date to 1837-1845. The blade is firm in the hilt, and the grip is unusually leather covered instead of shagreen. The grip, with its wire, are in good condition and all tight. The etching on the blade is quite basic, and this strikes me as a local maker, who made a no-frills, but functionally very nice sword. It feels good in the hand, has all stayed tight over the years, and seems to have been service sharpened (with a couple of small nicks in the edge). Complete with scabbard, which has patina matching the guard. A nice sword with some research potential.
