Known as the Model 1840 General Officer’s sword, this very finely crafted specimen is a product of the famed N. P. Ames Company of Springfield, Massachusetts. The sword is identified, albeit crudely, to one Egbert Tangier Smith of Smithtown, Long Island, New York. The Smith family name comes down from the Lord of the Manor of St. George of Northamptonshire, England. In 1686, some of the family arrived in New York, and purchased vast acreages on Long Island, NY totaling some 40,000 acres. The genealogy of the name, Egbert Tangier Smith, from one of the wealthiest families at the time, is a most interesting one with a convoluted web of history behind it. Cursory genealogy records about the family indicate that there was not one, but two ‘to the manor born’ gentlemen in the same family, at the same time frame from Long Island, with the same name, i.e. Egbert Tangier Smith. This particular sword specimen is from one of those two individuals.

Egbert T. Smith, considered the “original” in the family history, was born in 1796 at Mastic, NY and lived to 1879. He was an adventurer and left his manor home in 1817. He traveled west to Ohio and Iowa Territories. In 1862, he was a paymaster in the Union Army. Later he became government special agent in the Indian Territory, and finally settled in the Napa Valley of California where he died in March 1879. Unlike the “original” Egbert Tangier Smith who went west, the “other” Egbert Tangier Smith lived most of his life in Mastic on Long Island. He became involved in state politics, served as a state assemblyman at an early age, married and had a family. Supposedly he was offered a military appointment as a general in the Union army by President Abraham Lincoln. Smith turned it down. Possibly, this individual became a member of a local militia unit or just purchased this high quality sword because he could. As to which Egbert Tangier Smith owned this particular M1840 sword and scabbard, we feel it belonged to the ‘other’ ETS, and not the ‘original’ ETS.

Blade is a straight, 32 ¼” long, single-edged blade with only a rudimentary false edge with a 30¾” long wide fuller that tapers to a spear-point tip. Both flats are handsomely etched. Obverse ricasso is plain and has the etched maker’s address “N. P. Ames / Cutler / Springfield.” 2” above ricasso. Blade has a stylized floral spray etching of oak leaves, acorns that flanks the script letters “U.S.”. Etched letters are flanked with a partial ring of small stars with an outer border of sunrays. An Indian motif is next, followed with a floral sprays. Reverse blade flat has similar etching above the blank ricasso. Has a spreadwinged eagle and a military motif flanked by a floral display of oak leaves and acorns. All blade etching / frosting crisp and clean. Blade shows a bright sheen with just patches of fine pitting. Blade back handsomely etched with laurel vine motif that measures 15½” long.

Sword grips have the original brass washer. Entire hilt is gilded brass with cast grips exhibiting the imitation of wire wrapping. Reverse side of grips show a slight 1” long surface crack near pommel which is urn-shaped. Top of pommel decorated with a floral design oak leaves and a capstan rivet. Ferrules are plain save for two bands of tooling at the edges. The knucklebow is a four-sided brass link decorated at the pommel juncture with a floral design. Center has floral sprays on either side of the rosette. A bi-oblate, brass clamshell counterguard is hinged on the reverse. Both clamshells are unadorned, although on the underside are two crude engravings, on on each side; the first is “E.T. Smith”, the second reads “E.T. Smith / Smithtown”. Scabbard is fine gilded brass, 33” long, and is profusely decorated with floral displays. A large spreadwinged eagle with a shield in his breast is centered between the upper and lower ring mount. Scabbard is undented. Also exhibits a crudely hand carved set of three initials at the top of the scabbard that read “E T S.” Accompanying the sword is handmade doeskin sleeve which has Smith’s initials and “Smithtown NY” written on it.

A great addition to any sword collection.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS,

CLICK ON ‘CONTACT US’ AT THE TOP OF ANY PAGE ON THE SITE,

THEN ON ‘LAYAWAY POLICY’.

THANK YOU!