P.D. Luneschloss & Co. was an old and respected sword-making firm in Solingen, who supplied a large number of swords to various military goods dealers during the Civil War. John Thillmann devotes a chapter to the company in his classic “Civil War Cavalry & Artillery Sabers.” One of their big customers was Tiffany and, as Thillmann remarks, it says something about the quality of their work that Tiffany saw fit to use them. Their cavalry officer’s sabers have high quality hilts and 1840 style blades that show a characteristic etched eagle and U.S., and are almost always matched with a plain steel scabbard. This was utilitarian, combat saber, but with enough eye-appeal, that any officer would be proud to carry one, again Thillmann’s words.

This hilt has very finely cast and chased floral elements on the pommel, the interior and exterior of the branches and the upper inside of the counterguard. The grip has its full coverage of gray sharkskin in place, showing some small wear spots to the nodes of the sharkskin and some wear at the very base, against the guard, but good color. The copper wire is the standard PDL three-strand form using a coiled central wire, as one would see on 1833 dragoon sabers, and two thin flanking strands, showing a tiny bit of slack, but in place and secure. The scabbard is the typical plain steel characteristic of these, with a single screw on one side for the throat. The bands, rings, drag and throat are in place. The metal is smooth and shows an aged brown patina. There is just one small dent near the drag on the left side, which is very good for a horseman’s saber.

The blade is the 1840-form with flat back. It retains the leather washer at the blade shoulder and the correct “PDL” blade stamp in a dotted oval at left ricasso. The blade has a good point and edge, the metal is smooth, without pitting, and shows a dull silver with just a few scattered gray spots and just one gray streak at the left upper edge near the point. The etching is very legible on muted frosting and on the right side features the company’s characteristic American eagle with an E Pluribus Unum ribbon in its beak, a U.S. shield on its chest and a surrounding burst of sun rays on a panel with Arabesque terminals. The left side features their characteristic “U.S.” bordered by floral scrolls, likewise on a panel with Arabesque finials.

Various U.S. retailers imported Luneschloss swords and applied their own names and addresses to them, but the etched blade designs are characteristic of the company and appear even on Tiffany retailed examples. As far as their enlisted examples go, it is sometimes harder to find one with only the PDL marking. It is also worth noting, that Luneschloss had agents in England and some of their products may have made their way south. In any case, this is a very nice example of a Union cavalry officer’s saber that shows a unique combination of beauty and usefulness.  [sr]

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