Falling under the general heading of the “Peterson-75,” from Harold Peterson’s The American Sword, these swords were made for export to the U.S. in Germany, but were based on the British 1827 Rifle officer’s sword and the 1822/45 infantry officer’s sword. They were liked by US officers for field wear because of their robust iron or brass hilts and iron scabbards. This one also has a high-quality open-work brass hilt with an American eagle and vivid blade etching to match.

This has a brass hilt that has an undisturbed, uniform, mellow patina on the pommel, backstrap and open-work guard. The guard shows a finely detailed eagle in flight with wings spread, carrying a long ribbon in its beak reading “E Pluribus Unum.” The letters “US” stand just beneath it and floral scrolls fill in the guard on either side. In contrast to many guards of this type, the details of the eagle’s feathers and the floral elements are deeply chased and detailed. The use of the US in the guard classifies it as a staff and field sword, but photographic evidence shows it in use by officers of different ranks and posting.

The grip is deep gray sharkskin, completely intact with a few minor rubs, and the three-strand brass wire binding in place and tight, just missing a tiny section of the middle coiled wire in the last turn under the pommel on one side. The brass mounted iron scabbard is in excellent condition as well. The brass throat, carrying rings and drag are all there and match the patina of the hilt. The scabbard body shows full coverage of the original blue, now turned plum-brown with just one tiny dimple near the drag and some overall age spackling.

The spearpoint blade is excellent, showing some gray at the ricasso, upper edge and at the tip on the reverse, but showing bright overall with vivid etching. The ricasso on the reverse shows the Clauberg, Solingen, maker’s stamp surrounding their trademark knight. A central panel on the blade with Arabesque ends surrounds floral scrolls bordering a large “US” entwined with vines and scrolls, and showing some original frosting. The obverse of the blade has the typical inset copper disk reading “proved” on the ricasso and has a central etched panel with the same Arabesque points and floral scrolls, but surrounding a bright etched American eagle, matching that on the guard, that perches clutching olive branch and arrows in its talons with an E Pluribus Unum ribbon in its beak, surrounded with sunburst rays.

This is a very good looking, high-quality officer’s sword. See Thillmann, Civil War Army Swords, page 401, for a nice parallel. [sr]

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