|
|
||||
|
Not all U.S. swords can be found in books. There are always those
specimens that languish in closets, museum storage spaces, on dealer's
tables or in private collections that have no names or no absolute
known time of manufacture or usage. Some are beautiful, others are
not so beautiful. I have at least two such swords and will share
their mysteries with you. The first sword, due the blade shape and
engraving, is believed to be a militia staff officer's sword (variant)
of the Mexican War period. (1845-1850). However, It could just as
well been carried in the American Civil War. Supposedly, it was at
one time displayed in the Lincoln, Nebraska state house. Museum numbers
are on the obverse of the scabbard and on the side of the hilt grip.
There are no maker marks anywhere on the blade, hilt or scabbard.
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
||||
MILITIA STAFF OFFICER'S SWORD (VARIANT) 1840-1850
|
||||
|
This sword is 37-7/8" overall with a blade length of 31-3/4".
The straight blade is double edged and tapers evenly to a point.
It is elliptical in section. At the hilt it is 1-1/8" wide. A narrow
center fuller 5/32" wide starts 1-1/2" from the hilt and extends for
11". The first two thirds of the blade is blued extending to floral
scroll decorations at the end. The reverse is decorated with etched
floral sprays and scrolls above and below a U.S. eagle holding arrows
in one talon and an olive branch in the other. The eagles head is
turned to the arrows. The obverse is similarly engraved except for
a military trophy design replacing the eagle. There are actually five
distinct panels on each side. Three of the panels are done in
gilt etchings and there are two, one time bright, panels with floral
sprays outlined by the blued finish.
|
||||
|
Following are the blade's gilt etchings:
|
||||
LOWER ENGRAVING - OBVERSE
|
UPPER ENGRAVING - OBVERSE
|
|||
MILITARY TROPHY ENGRAVING - OBVERSE
|
||||
|
|
||||
LOWER ENGRAVING - REVERSE
|
UPPER ENGRAVING - REVERSE
|
|||
U.S. EAGLE ENGRAVING - OBVERSE
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
The 5-7/8" hilt has shield shaped langets 1-7/8" long and 1" wide
at the top. The ebony wood faced tapering grip plaques are framed
on each side with engraved panels of silver plated brass. There
is a small rectangular silver plate with clipped corners inlaid into
the obverse plaque. "FX" has been scratched into it. At the base of
the grips there is a banded German silver ferrule. The engraved stepped
rounded pommel cap is also silver plated brass. It is attached to
the cross quillons by a sturdy double linked chain. The 1-7/8" brass
cross quillons flare outward and have sunken panels in their centers
with floral scrolling heavily cast into them. The shield shaped langets
have vertical stripes topped by a horizontal row of four stars. The
1-3/8" panel casting over the langets and between the cross quillons
appears to represent the rising sun.
|
||||
OBVERSE VIEW OF HILT
|
REVERSE VIEW OF HILT
|
|||
VIEW OF TOP SIDE OF GRIP
|
VIEW OF BOTTOM SIDE OF GRIP
|
|||
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
The heavy brass scabbard is 32-9/16" long. It has both a frog stud
and carrying rings. The two 1-1/8" diameter opposing brass rings are
centered 2-17/16" from the scabbard mouth. The 7/8" x 5/8" oval frog
stud centers at 2-1/4" from the mouth of the scabbard. The scabbard
throat is missing. The scabbard has basically three engraved panels
on the obverse featuring floral designs and scrolling. The museum/display
number is also in evidence. There is no engraving or marking on the
reverse side.
|
||||
OBVERSE VIEW OF SWORD IN SCABBARD
|
REVERSE VIEW OF SWORD IN SCABBARD
|
|||
UPPER
MIDDLE ENGRAVED PANEL
|
LOWER
MIDDLE ENGRAVED PANEL
|
|||
LOWER
ENGRAVED PANEL & DRAG
|
SCABBARD RINGS - REVERSE VIEW
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
Next week we will look at PART TWO - SWORD 2. It is another big straight
sword of a different ilk. It is a reverse "P" guard sword with a bird's
head pommel. This one is marked "W. H. HORSTMANN & CO." on the
obverse blade and "NEW YORK" on the reverse. A preview picture follows:
|
||||
MILITIA OFFICER'S SWORD BY W. H. HORSTMANN & COMPANY
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
No reference books were brought into play for this weeks posting as
none of my books made reference to this sword. It is most likely one
of a kind. Who made it, who used it and when, are questions that may
never be accurately answered. It is something for sword collectors
to muse about. Mexican War? Civil War? Or peace time only?
|
||||
|
However, credits must still go to my son and webmaster, Reed Radcliffe,
for getting this copy and the pictures on to my web page.
|
||||
| Dave
Radcliffe
|
||||
