Presentation sword presented to Field Marshal Lord Roberts by the inhabitants of Portsmouth, 1901 (metal)

Presentation sword presented to Field Marshal Lord Roberts by the inhabitants of Portsmouth, 1901. On his return from South Africa, Lord Roberts was presented with this sword at Portsmouth, one of the many honours he received following the successful conclusion of the Boer campaign. Like other presentation swords he received, this one is extremely ornate, incorporating his arms, the arms of the city of Portsmouth and representations of Roberts’ many awards. The scabbard has enamel panels showing many scenes, including a representation of the field marshal accepting the surrender of a Boer leader, flanked by troops. The blade is inscribed with many of Roberts’ most famous battle honours, including ‘Pretoria’, ‘Kandahar’ and ‘Lucknow’.