Summary

Sword Stick with single edged blade that fits into a covering. It was carried by Detective-Inspector Christie as a means of protection, circa 1860s-1910s. Christie emigrated from England to Australia in 1863. He joined the Melbourne detective force in June 1866 and gained fame for his use of disguise to make arrests. In 1875 he resigned after being accused of using dubious police techniques. He joined the Customs Department as a Detective in 1884 where his activities included tracking down smugglers of opium and tobacco, catching George Robertson importing prohibited books, and confiscating bubonic bacilli at Macarthur. Christie stated the highlights of his career were when he 'shadowed' visiting royalty; travelling throughout Australia and New Zealand with the Duke of Edinburgh in 1867; accompanying Princes Albert and George in 1881, and acting as bodyguard for the Duke of York in 1901. Christie retired in December 1910, due mainly to impaired hearing after being assaulted.

Physical Description

Sword stick with a long tapered metal blade contained within a wooden walking stick. The blade is fixed to the wooden handle of the stick and slots into a wedge-shaped space within the sheath.

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