Ceremonial Sword
The dress sword was made for the 9th Duke of Marlborough. It is decorated with diamonds and is shown in the large family portrait of the 9th Duke and Duchess and their sons by John Singer Sargent (1905) that hangs in the Red Drawing Room; the Duke has his hand on the top of the hilt and the Marquess of Blandford (later 10th Duke) is holding the hilt further down this symbolises the passing of the title from one generation to the next.
The sword was used to cut the cakes at both the 80th birthday celebrations of the 11th Duke and at the marriage of the current Marquess of Blandford to Camilla Thorpe.
