Legends surrounding the death of the Prussian soldier Gustavus Ferdinand von Tempsky began springing up almost straight after he was killed in the Taranaki Wars during an attack on Te Ngutu o te Manu in 1868. Chief among them was the fate of his famous sword, which together with his bowie knife, became his signature weapon. Coveted by Māori, Pākehā, museums and collectors von Temspky’s sword seemed to multiply, with versions simultaneously appearing in public collections and auction houses. Tales of its burial in various places also were widely circulated.
This 1796 pattern British light cavalry trooper’s sword was donated to the Taranaki Museum in the early 1920s by a member of the Thrush family. Around the time of donation a surviving elderly veteran of the battle, James Henry Walker, said he was “perfectly certain” it was the blade von Tempsky was carrying when he fell. But few things in history are really “perfectly certain” and there are other claims which dispute this version of the swords history.
Search the Puke Ariki Heritage Collection
LinkPlease do not reproduce these images without permission from Puke Ariki.
Contact us for more information or you can order images online here.
The information on this website is provided for general research and reference only. While we try to keep content accurate and current, we make no guarantees about its completeness or correctness. It should not be considered a replacement for a LIM or a Property Report. Some content is supplied by third parties. Puke Ariki has not verified this content and users should check its accuracy before relying on it.The inclusion of a building on the website does not imply heritage status. See SCHED1 in the NPDC District Plan for a list of buildings that have rules about what can happen to or around them (administered by NPDC). See the New Zealand Heritage List for a list of buildings that are celebrated for their heritage significance but are not subject to rules (administered by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga). Should any corrections need to be made to the records or for more information please contact us.
