This cavalry officer’s saber is likely very early war and could possibly be typed as “transitional” since it uses an 1833-style quill back blade, but with a plain brass hilt of the 1840/60 style. Just as likely, this was specially ordered by an officer who specifically wanted that blade pattern. The quill back form with some of the same profuse and deeply etched patterns was used by the First Troop of Philadelphia City Cavalry. Perhaps the officer was a former member of that elite unit. The hilt is plain, with no cast motifs, and a sharkskin covered grip with “dragoon” wire: a coiled center strand bordered by single strands. The blade is etched “W.H. Horstmann / & Sons / Philadelphia,” on the obverse, dating it broadly between 1843 and 1862.  The spine is etched “Iron Proof,” fairly common with the German import blade Horstmann used.

The etching is very visible, standing out on a thinly frosted background shading slightly toward silver gray, and uses mainly oak leaves and acorns for its floral elements. The obverse mixes these with a palmette and arched lattice lower down, with a panoply of arms above that has a prominent shield with “U.S.” and liberty cap atop a halberd pike, flanked by crossed flags, with drum and bugle below. Immediately above is a U.S. eagle with shield on breast and E Pluribus Unum ribbon with sunrays overhead. The panel is finished off with a conical tent flying a pennant and leaf-and-berry branch. The reverse uses similar motifs at bottom, followed by an oval wreath surrounding classical helmet and pikes with pennants, followed by an Indian warrior with bow and raised tomahawk, usually identified as Tecumseh, with another eagle, EPU ribbon, arc of stars and sun rays overhead, finished with a length of oak leaves and acorns.

The scabbard is steel, showing a worn silver or nickel plating that has brown spots and but only minor chips. The mounts are brass. The drag is a plain, shoe drag. The middle mounts are wide 1850 foot or staff and field type mounts with ring bands. The throat has a screw fastened collar that is configured on the top specifically for a quill back blade. This saber has a wonderful, untouched, attic look to it when sheathed, and when drawn shows dense and very visible etching on a nice blade. We would not touch a thing about it. The upper ring still has the sword sling snap hook on it that was there when the officer brought it home from the war.  [SR]

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