SCARCE 1859 DATED AMES “MODEL 1860” LIGHT CAVALRY SABER

$1,950.00

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Item Code: 362-1262

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This 1859 dated light cavalry saber by Ames is in good condition, with undisturbed hilt with original leather and wire on the grip, a full-length blade with clear maker and inspector marks, and scabbard with a few dings as might be expected from a long service life, but all rings, throat and drag in place. Ames seems to have been in discussions with the Ordnance Department about a “new pattern” cavalry saber as early as December 1856, which may have involved some samples. The first contracts and deliveries were in 1857, though production overlapped with the 1840 pattern into 1858. This saber is likely from Ames’s November 1858 contract for 1,000 sabers, which were delivered through April 29, 1859, or from his March 1859 contract for 5,000 sabers, of which 3,600 were delivered through February 18, 1860. In any case, 1859 dated examples are tough to find.

The hilt has no bends or breaks, an undisturbed peen of the blade tang on the pommel showing it has never been apart, and an undisturbed, aged patina to the brass showing a mellow aged tone with some darker age stains. The twisted brass binding wire is in place and tight. The leather wrap has good black color and a very good surface, showing only a few shallow wear spots and one small area of loss on the underside at the very back at the junction of the knucklebow and pommel. The fore-end of the grip shows a slight shrinkage gap against the guard. The leather sealing pad on the underside of the guard is missing.

The blade is full length, with good markings, point and no pitting, but does have shallow nicks to edge in the middle third. These are not deep or particularly obtrusive, but there and as with some scabbard dings not uncommon on a saber with a prewar date that would have seen service from the war’s very beginning. The blade shows largely as muted silver gray with scattered darker gray age stains and some thin brown around the ricasso. The markings are very good. The reverse ricasso is stamped with the Ames three-line block letter address: AMES MFg Co / CHICOPEE. / MASS. The obverse is stamped U.S. / JH / 1859.

The scabbard is good, complete with throat, carrying rings and drag in place, showing a uniform brown color, and matches the sword in showing some use, with a dent between the ring bands on the obverse, another below the lower band that is sharp enough to qualify as a rattle-dent (i.e., purposely applied to reduce noise by keeping the saber firmly in the scabbard, though that is still debated in some quarters,) with some lighter dents from handling and use above the drag, and another shallow, broader one on the reverse further up. The drag has some light crustiness making any inspection stamp tough to see although one staff member thinks there is one in the right light.  [sr][ph:L]

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