Presentation Sword

“This sword was given to Scottish naval officer Admiral Adam Duncan by the Corporation of the City of London in 1797 to commemorate his victory in the Battle of Camperdown,” Patrick says. “For his part in the battle, Duncan was lauded as a national hero of both Scotland and the United Kingdom. The gift of presentation swords such as this was a way in which civic institutions honoured the deeds of military commanders during the Napoleonic Wars. The pommel and grip are decorated with coloured enamel plaques which depict Duncan’s coat of arms as Viscount Camperdown, the crest of the City of London, and Duncan’s flagship, HMS Venerable.”