Unusual Mameluke

[reschenk]

I recently acquired a somewhat unusual USMC mameluke named to William Morse, Jr. William Morse, Jr. enlisted in the USMC on 11 December 1941 - he must have been about first in line at the recruiting station after Pearl Harbor. He was initially stationed in the Canal Zone but was subsequently transferred to the FMF Pacific where he participate in the Battle for Okinawa. He served briefly in the occupation of Japan and then returned to the States. In 1949 he took Officer training at Quantico and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant. In 1951 he served a tour in Korea in an antitank element, and then served a tour in Japan after which he again returned to the States. He retired as a major in 1961.

His sword is a well built Mameluke with better than usual brass mountings with very sharp and well executed designs. It has a number of features which differ somewhat from the usual 1950's mamelukes you see. For one thing, the brass does not appear to have been gilted. You will also notice the cross guard has scattered small rectangular bronze-colored spots. (What would cause that? I think I read somewhere these are filled-in casting flaws.) On the scabbard, the boot of the drag, which is usually plain or only lightly marked, is prominently stippled with deeply struck five-pointed stars, and the carrying ring bands are somewhat wider than most. The white composite grips are flat surfaced with a rectangular cross section with little rounding of the edges. On the blade, the owner's name is etched in a panel on the obverse side, and both sides are etched with the usual designs, although the style looks somewhat different than my other mamelukes. The most puzzling feature to me, however, is the outfitter's markings on the obverse ricasso under the langet, i.e. "JACOB REEDS/SONS/PAILN PN". i know Jacob Reed was a well known outfitter in Boston, but I have no idea of the significance of the last line "PAILN PN". There are no visible country of origin markings.

 

Have any forum members seen a similar sword or have any idea what or where "PAILN PN" might be? Can any members identify the maker of this sword? It does not appear to be the normal Lilley-Ames or WKC product.

 

 

[reschenk]

A couple more photos:

 

[reschenk]

Oops! Above I said "I know Jacob Reed was a well known outfitter in Boston". Senior moment - I meant to say Jacob Reed was a well-known outfitter in Philadelphia.

[American Heritage]

very unusual, never saw anything like this one. Very nice!

[Rolf]

Most of the Jacob Reeds swords are marked like this:

[Rolf]

Because of the location of the makers mark, the light/ shadow conditions and the angle that you have to view the mark, your PAILN. PN may actually be PHILA. PA.

 

[SARGE]

I think your sword actually says "PHILN. PA" and is hard to read under the langet of the guard.

[sundance]

No answers to any of your questions but nice looking sabre.

[warguy]

My bet is It reads Philadelphia as well. Jacob Reeds and sons was always in Philadelphia, from 1843 to 1980. There was a Joseph Reed and William Reed and sons out of Boston but they were suppliers in the a civil war only. Not sure when, but I think in the 50's, sword makers got away from fire gilting on the brass due to the very dangerous chemicals used in the process. I have WWII German swords still with this process, but it think it went away after WWII. I would bet by the time your sword was made, they were putting lacquer on polished brass to protect the luster. After polishing this a couple times with brasso or other brass polish, the lacquer was long gone and the brass just mellows or patinas over time. Depending on conditions of storage, spotting could occur. I think the extra embellishments are just a manufacturers feature. This is a beautiful sword and you are lucky to be the next caretaker. Kevin

[reschenk]

Thanks everyone.

 

The inscription on my sword definitely reads "PAILN/PN", but I must admit Rolf's second picture of his Jacob Reed's Sons M1852 Navy looks remarkably like it. I think there is no doubt that what is meant is "PHILA/PA".

 

One possibility which occurred to me is that whoever did the etching mis-copied the address. This perhaps sounds a bit far-fetched, but if Reed's Son procured the sword from a maker in a country which doesn't use Roman letters, i.e. Japan, perhaps such an error could be made. In the late-'40s/early-'50s when this sword was made, there were two Japanese companies making US military swords. Reed could well have contracted with one of these companies to produce swords with its brand name. This would be especially likely if Reed had a uniform/accouterments concession on the Japanese base where Morse was stationed. In fact, to me at least, the sword does seem to have a vaguely Japanese appearance, so maybe.... I'd love to hear from someone else with a similiar mameluke to compare notes.