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CLASSIC CONFEDERATE FROELICH CAVALRY SABER AND SCABBARD

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If you are looking for just one Confederate cavalry saber, this could be it. This classic Confederate cavalryman’s saber with its original scabbard was made by Louis Froelich and is in very good condition, complete and all original. Loosely based overall on the US M1840 saber, the hilt is the typical Froelich style with an undecorated pommel rising well above and flaring out slightly from the join with knucklebow, a Roman numeral assembly number, “IIII,” on the upper obverse edge of the counterguard and matching “IIII” on the flat top of the scabbard throat, and two side branches on the guard that exit the knucklebow at two different points.

The grip is very good, preserving 90 percent or better of its thin leather wrap and all of its twisted, narrow, two-stand wire. The grip has ten grooves. We see some exposed wood just at the bottom, next to the guard. In addition to the characteristically Froelich pommel, the two side branches exit the knucklebow at two different points. The counterguard is fairly narrow, relatively pointed on the quillon and does not make much effort on contours, just thinning slightly on reverse upper edge with a short blade mound on the underside. Froelich’s sources for metal varied in quality as did sometimes his workmanship, and the color of his brass can vary. The hilt shows a nice undisturbed, aged patina, with a few spots on the pommel and a faint reddish tinge. The slightly convex top of the pommel is excellent. The peen of the blade tang is undisturbed and the top of the pommel shows just a few small, very minor dings on top and edge. The leather sealing pad on the underside of the guard is long gone.

The blade is classic Confederate, with unstopped fuller below the guard and a noticeable forging flaw on the obverse lower edge beginning just before the end of the fuller and extending a couple inches forward. The metal is stable and both edge and point are good. The surface is smooth metal, but gray in color, mixed with dark gray spots.

The scabbard is iron full-length, iron, showing its lapped seam along the lower reverse edge, tight for most of its length, with just some narrow separation between the upper ring mount and throat. The scabbard shows substantial thin amounts of its original reddish-brown lacquered finish, perhaps 60 percent or so, with some wear between the throat and upper ring mount from handling and some shallow pitting to the iron on and just above the drag, which is fairly common from a sword standing upright for a prolonged period. The brass throat and upper ring mount show a bit lighter from handling, but still have a nice aged tone. The assembly/mating number is very clear.

Louis Froelich was a “mechanic” in the sense of an artisan working with metals, who emigrated from Bavaria in early 1861. Settling in Wilmington, NC, he started out making buttons as foreman of the North Carolina Button Manufactory and then went into the arms trade, making a large assortment of sabers, sword bayonets, bayonets, pikes, knives, axes, accouterments and other vital military supplies throughout the war with an epic determination,  having to move his operation from Wilmington to Kenansville, suffering from fires, federal cavalry raids, a corrupt business partner and a yellow fever epidemic to boot. Nevertheless, he is thought to have produced close to 12,000 sabers for Confederate cavalry at his different operations, with his weapons alternately termed products of the Confederate States Armory , Kenansville, or just Froelich. McAden and Fonvielle, “Louis Froelich: Arms-Maker to the Confederacy,” provide an excellent introduction to his work, various products, and career. This is a very good example of his characteristic enlisted man’s cavalry saber and would make an excellent addition to a cavalry, Confederate, edged weapons, or general Civil War collection.  [sr] [ph:L]

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