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THBPresentation Sword to British Major General George Robert Ainslie, Governor General of Dominica
About Seller
6270 Este Ave.
Cincinnati , OH 45232
United States
With offices in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver, Cowan’s holds over 40 auctions each year, with annual sales exceeding $16M. We reach buyers around the globe, and take pride in our reputation for integrity, customer service and great results. A full-service house, Cowan’s Auctions specializes in Am...Read more
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About Auction
LiveOct 30, 2018
Cowan's is honored to present the Magnificent Sword Collection of William Koch in its two-day firearms, militaria, and American history auction, with a focus on the Civil War. Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com
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- Lot Description
Presentation Sword to British Major General George Robert Ainslie, Governor General of Dominica
31.5" straight, double-edged un-fullered spear point blade. 6" gilt sterling silver hilt hallmarked on rear of upper crossguard for the London Assay Office, 1814 with the maker mark T.P that may be the mark of Thomas Pepper II, Thomas Pitts II or Thomas Purver, all London silversmiths who used similar marks during the period. Pommel cap in the form of a rampant lion, grip with panoplies of arms, 5.25" cross guard with foliate sprays. Blade with faux Damascus patterning and etched gold gilt geometric decorations in Turkish form, with a large presentation panel of the reverse that reads in three lines: TO HIS EXCELLENCY MAJOR GENERAL AINSLIE GOVERNOR OF DOMINICA &c &c &c / THIS SWORD IS PRESENTED BY THE TWO BRANCHES OF THE LEGISLATURE / IN TESTIMONY OF HIS MERITORIOUS CONDUCT IN THE REDUCTION OF THE MAROONS IN THE YEAR MDCCCXIV. The obverse is decorated with more etching of Turkish inspired geometric patterns. The sword is accompanied by its original scarlet velvet covered wood scabbard with gilt sterling mounts that are again London hallmarked and maker marked to 1814. The mounts are engraved with panoplies of arms and martial themes with a single suspension ring on each of the two upper mounts in the form of a serpent eating its tail. The rear of the upper mount is engraved in three lines: Rundell Bridge & / Rundell / London . The sword and scabbard are produced in the "Turkish Pattern," as evidenced by the maker's own calling card of the period which read in part: "All sorts of Turkish ornaments in the newest taste after the most approved drawings and models from their agents in Constantinople. Rich diamond and enameled sabers, daggers, knives snuff boxes, watches, pistols, etc." Rundell, Bridge & Rundell worked in London ca 1805-1833, starting as Rundell & Bridge ca1785 and becoming Rundell, Bridge & Co ca 1834. (Bezdek) A truly unique and high quality sword, awarded to Ainslie for his brutal handling of the Maroons on Dominica during 1813-1814.
George Robert Ainslie (1776-1839) was born near Edinburgh in 1776, the son of Sir Philip Ainslie. Geroge's mother was a daughter of Lord Grey, so with a landed knight for a father and the political influence of this mother he was destined to be successful in the British military or government, no matter what his actual abilities were. George entered the military in 1793 as an ensign in the 19th Regiment of Foot and quickly advanced to lieutenant. He then received a captaincy in the 85th Regiment of Foot and soon thereafter a promotion to major. In a period when commissions in the British military were more often purchased than earned, Ainslie's wealth and political influence helped to advance his military career rapidly. The 85th saw action in Flanders in 1799 as part of the War of Second Coalition during the Napoleonic Wars, where Ainslie showed no particular martial aptitude or ability, and after the "tactical retreat" of the Anglo-Russian Forces, he was again promoted; this time to lieutenant colonel and transferred to a Fencibles Regiment (militia) where his lack of leadership ability and understanding of military matters was not a significant issue. Likely due to family influence, Ainslie was returned to active service in 1807 as lieutenant colonel of the 25th Regiment of Foot and was elevated to Brevet Colonel in 1810. In 1812, family influence delivered the post of Colonial Governor General of the island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean, along with the required promotion to the rank of general. The following year he was given the Governorship of the Island of Dominica.
Ainslie arrived in Dominica at a time of unrest, as the discontent of the island's many African slaves, held in bondage on English plantations and often brutally treated, had resulted in numerous escapes and minor revolts. The escaped slaves, known as "Maroons," formed communities in the wilderness and launched a guerrilla-style campaign against the plantation owners on the island. These raids were often brutal, as the escaped slaves sought some level of retribution for their previous treatment. Land owners and their families were sometimes murdered and homes were often burned. Ainslie arrived at the height of the Maroon raids and sought to put an end to the violence by essentially eradicating their population. The new governor assembled a militia force of some 500 men as well as the Loyal Dominica Rangers, which was a militia of "trusty slaves" who were little more than bounty hunters. Their goal was to capture and kill Maroons, in particular their leaders. The most powerful and influential of those leaders was Jacko. Ainslie's brutal tactics included the public flogging, and often execution, of captured Maroons in the Sunday Market in Roseau. He also launched a series of search and destroy type missions that were nothing short of an attempt to completely eradicate the Maroon population. The killing of the Maroon leader Jacko in July of 1814 brought this period to an effective close, ending what has been known in history as the Second Maroon Wars. While initially praised in Parliament for his decisive actions in bringing the "rebellion" to a close, evidenced by this very presentation sword and his elevation to the rank of Major General, stories soon made their way to England about Ainslie's borderline psychopathic tendencies to torture and even behead captured Maroons. As as result he was removed from his position as Governor General and transferred to a colonial backwater where he could do less damage to the British Empire and hopefully cause less bad publicity for the government.
This new position was that of Lieutenant Governor of Cape Breton Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia. Ainslie arrived there in 1816, at a time when the colony was floundering due to general mismanagement and a lack of funds in the treasury. There was a general uproar within the colony as the residents were unwilling to pay their taxes due to belief that they were not being adequately represented; a situation not unlike the American colonies during the early 1770s. Ainslie attacked the financial and managerial problems with his usual lack of ability, total ineptitude and complete stubbornness. By 1820, he managed to destroy the independent status of the colony of Cape Breton, and it was re-absorbed into Nova Scotia. Ainslie was then recalled to Great Britain where he spent the rest of his life pursuing his passion of coin collecting. His particular interest was in the coins of Normandy and Brittany and he eventually published a treatise on Anglo-Norman coins in 1830. Ainslie died in 1839.
Provenance: From the Sword Collection of William KochFine. Blade retains much of the frosty finish, gold gilt and Damascus patterning in the presentation panel. There is some loss due to wear, fading and some scattered light surface oxidation and discoloration. Hilt very fine, retaining most of the gilt, as to the scabbard mounts. Scabbard with wear and loss of surface finish on the velvet and the seam of the cover opening along the lower edge.Condition
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