Here is a rare original specimen of an Ames-produced and U. S. government inspected army cutlass made in the naval pattern. Not to be confused with the Naval Cutlass of 1860, this rare specimen, in very good condition, is one of some three hundred made by N. P. Ames of Chicopee, Massachusetts. His firm delivered these naval-pattern, army cutlasses to the US Ordnance Department on February 10, 1864. It is not known why the Army ordered 300 naval cutlasses, but some thoughts indicate they were to be issued to army units manning coastal artillery batteries or to civilian volunteers manning the guns in one of the few Marine Artillery Regiments. No records found to show where the Army cutlasses were sent after Ames delivered them to Colonel Thornton of the Ordnance Department.

Curved blade measures 26” long, 1¼” wide at the ricasso and has a flat back with a single, wide, unstopped fuller with a light gray sheen. The reverse ricasso exhibits a very thin, partial maker’s mark “AM_ _” visible. Obverse ricasso bears “U. S. / A. D. K. / 1864.” Date stamping is very thin. Blade exhibits a mottled salt and pepper coloring with scattered pinprick pitting overall. Blade also has a few tiny nicks on the its’ edge. The boarding cutlass was derived from the French pattern of 1833, often referred to as a “cullere a pot.”

Brass hilt, often referred to as a ‘soup ladle’ guard, is a rounded cup of heavy sheet brass riveted to the quillon and knucklebow to provide protection to the user. Guard appears to have been heavily cleaned and brushed. It wears a semi-bright bronze patina. No stampings or markings on hilt or the quillon. The army cutlass retains its leather washer. The carved wooden handle is wrapped with original black bridle leather that is in poor to fair condition. The grips have none of its original double-twisted brass wire wrap. The high domed brass pommel is of the Phrygian design. A rare, original Civil War naval pattern, Army Model 1860 cutlass dated 1864.

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