This very high-grade sword is not marked by a maker or dealer, but is most likely a German import. Following the general lines of the 1860 Staff Sword, carried by General officers as well as Staff officers, it has an 1840 style blade etched more than half its length on both sides, and along the back, with an engraved and embellished gilt brass scabbard and a detailed, deeply cast and chased gilt hilt with the silver grip specified in 1841 for general officers to distinguish them from the other M1840 officers’ swords. (See Thillmann, Chapters 8 and 17 in particular.)

The lantern shaped pommel, knucklebow splitting at the double clamshell guard with folding reverse counterguard follow the standard configuration, but the quality of the cast motifs is very high. The pommel has leaf design on top, eagle on the obverse side and blank shield on the reverse. The knucklebow has a leaf and rosette at the pommel juncture and central symmetrical panel with oakleaves and acorns at it middle. The counterguard is plain on the reverse and bears a high relief U.S. eagle with draped flags on a stippled ground on the obverse. The tip of the quillon is rendered as a lion’s head.

The blade is etched on both sides in extended panels and along the flat, top edge. The frosting employs a granular, Damascene pattern as the background and the motifs are vivid with a stand of flags, small trophy of arms, and taller stand of arms and flags detailed with dry-point etching, all mixed with and linked by long leafy branches and floral scrolls on the obverse. , mixed with floral element detailed with dry-point etching on the obverse. The reverse has similar military trophies, flags, floral scrolls, and leafy branches. The back edge employs a dot and bellflower.

The gilt brass scabbard has two upper rings and one middle ring and a wide symmetrical drag. The reverse is plain. The obverse is deeply engraved with symmetrical, geometric and floral designs at the rings and the midpoint between lower ring and drag. The drag has extensive floral elements and floral scrolls extending upward. Most impressively, there is a applied panel with U.S. eagle in impressive high relief between the two upper mounts that complements the eagle on the counterguard.

We see only some minor gray spots on the blade above the etched panels, a couple of minor dings on the obverse of scabbard and three on the reverse, at the top, middle, and lower down opposite one on obverse. The underside of the counterguard has minor stains. A portion of the red pad is present.

This is a scarce, very good looking, and elegantly embellished general officer’s sword. [sr] [ph:m]

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