This sword represents a very popular pre-Civil War American form. The brass hilt has a smooth, rounded, “birds-head” pommel and “reverse-P” knuckleguard slotted for a sword a knot. The grip is bone (white, now shading to cream color,) ribbed, that may once have had a thin decorative wire in the grooves. There are some minor stains, but no chips or cracks. A backstrap runs from the pommel to meet a brass ferrule at the guard. The guard terminates at top with a flat rondel on the quillon.

The blade is curved, single edged and measures about 35.5 inches with a broad, central fuller.

The base of the blade still has its thin leather washer to seal it when sheathed and has a small European blademaker’s cartouche at the center of the obverse ricasso, which is often the case since American makers of the period were better at mounting swords than forging blades and normally imported them. The blade was blued for the first third of its length to set off engraved military motifs and the blue ends with a floral spray at its upper end on both sides. On both sides the blue is worn at the base of the blade for a few inches, likely from rubbing inside the upper mount when drawn, but quickly picks up and ends with a scrolling floral spray.

On the obverse the first engraved scrolling floral design is very legible. Above that the blue is good to the top of the panel, with some rubbing along the raised upper edge of the fuller, and there is a trophy of arms (spears, drum, etc.) mixed with some floral elements.

On the reverse of the blade both engraved sections have floral motifs, the lower one, like that on the obverse, showing on gray metal. The panel shows much better blue around the upper motif, though there is some rubbing to the blue again just before it terminates in the floral spray. The metal is smooth overall, though there are some very shallow edge nicks on the upper third of the blade edge, but nothing major. Above the blue panels the blade shows a silver gray mixed with some darker gray spots.

The scabbard is excellent, full-length, with no breaks or bends. There is some crackling to the finish and some very tiny spots of flaking between the upper two mounts, but overall the finish is excellent, the mounts are tight, the seams are tight, and the color is a pleasing mix of black and deep brown. The carrying rings are present on the upper and middle mounts for carriage by saber slings. The upper mount also has an oval stud for carriage in a belt frog. There is a small bit of dull silver wash at the top reverse edge of the upper mount and showing a bit on the hilt, otherwise the mounts have an undisturbed aged brass patina. The length of the blade and indications of a silver wash make the sword appropriate for an infantry officer serving mounted- either a field-grade or staff officer.

This is a nice example of an early-to-mid nineteenth century American saber and scabbard in very good condition that displays very well. [sr]

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