Collins is a well-known Civil War blade maker and produced a variety of swords and blades. In 1862 company received US Ordnance Department contracts for, and delivered, 548 NCO swords of the pattern adopted in 1840 and used through the Civil War. Thillmann considers them “extremely scarce” and notes that their characteristic is a separately applied date stamp on the obverse ricasso, where commercially supplied versions of the sword use the Collins company stamp on the reverse that incorporates an 1862 date.

The brass hilt has a nice, mellow, untouched age patina. There is one scratch on the knucklebow, otherwise the metal is smooth and a light mustard color with some brown spots. The blade has a good edge and point and is generally bright metal overall with a crisp 1862 date on the obverse ricasso and a “Collins & Co. / Hartford / Conn” stamp on the reverse. Both sides of the blade show the cross polishing near the ricasso that is the sign of minty blade. The obverse is bright overall and excellent. The reverse shows some spots of dried grease and some scattered gray/brown spots with a little crustiness at the firm name stamp. There is no scabbard.

The tradition of arming sergeants with swords as a badge of rank was an old one in the army and sometimes extended to corporals in the volunteer regiments. This is good example of the regulation sword and a very scarce example of one supplied by Collins on a US contract.  [sr]

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