This classic Confederate cavalryman’s saber with its original scabbard made by Louis Froelich is in very good condition, complete and original. The hilt is the typical Froelich style with a Roman numeral assembly number, XVIII, on the upper obverse edge of the quillon. In addition to the typically Froelich pommel, the two side branches exit the knucklebow at two different points. The wood grip has ten grooves and remnants, perhaps 15-20 percent, of its thin leather wrap, but the full iron single wire binding remains in place.

Froelich’s sources for brass, iron and steel varied in quality as did sometimes his workmanship. The color of his brass can vary from piece to piece. This shows more gold in color with a medium aged patina showing some brown, red, and black spots. The rounded top of the pommel is excellent: smooth, not banged up, and the peen of the blade tang is undisturbed. Still, the pommel shows a short flaw on the obverse near the grip and the underside of the guard has not been polished, leaving signs of its casting in a sand mold.

The blade is also classically Confederate, with an unstopped fuller and typical slight forging flaws. There are three shallow and three more pronounced nicks to the edge near the tip, otherwise the blade is very nice with smooth metal, a muted silver or pewter gray mixed with some darker gray and thin brown spots.

The iron scabbard is full-length with iron drag and brass ring bands and throat and shows substantial amounts of its original lacquered finish in a reddish-brown surface. The scabbard body has the typical lapped seam, crudely done, but not as sloppy as some examples. The iron carrying rings are in place in the brass ring bands. The brass throat is present, though the retaining screw is missing. There are just a few shallow dents and some surface crustiness near the drag and just below the lower ring band.

Froelich was a “mechanic” who emigrated from Bavaria in early 1861. Settling in Wilmington, NC, he made a large assortment of sabers, sword bayonets, bayonets, pikes, knives, axes, accouterments and other vital military supplies throughout the war, though having to move his operation from Wilmington to Kenansville, and suffering from fires, federal cavalry raids, a corrupt business partner and a yellow fever epidemic. Nevertheless, he is thought to have produced close to 12,000 sabers for Confederate cavalry, who strove to emulate the dash of English cavaliers. This is a very good example of his work and would make an excellent addition to a cavalry, Confederate, edged weapons, or general Civil War collection. We include with it the string tag placed on it by an early collector, who was obviously very proud to have obtained it.  [SR]

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