warpath Posted October 30, 2018 Share #1 Posted October 30, 2018 C. Roby Model 1860 US Cavalry Officer's Saber with etched blade. An uncommon sword. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpath Posted October 30, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted October 30, 2018 C. Roby Model 1860 US Cavalry Officer's Saber with etched blade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpath Posted October 30, 2018 Author Share #3 Posted October 30, 2018 C. Roby Model 1860 US Cavalry Officer's Saber with etched blade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warpath Posted October 30, 2018 Author Share #4 Posted October 30, 2018 C. Roby Model 1860 US Cavalry Officer's Saber with etched blade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanemono Posted October 30, 2018 Share #5 Posted October 30, 2018 Very nice officer's saber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted October 30, 2018 Share #6 Posted October 30, 2018 Nice one Ed! I like hometown blades, especially C. Roby's, can't wait to see it. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony V Posted October 30, 2018 Share #7 Posted October 30, 2018 Ed Very nice saber ! I red somewhere that a Roby was one type that General Custer was to have carried. Thank you for posting such a beauty. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illinigander Posted October 31, 2018 Share #8 Posted October 31, 2018 Nice saber. I have two Cav. Officers sabers, a James Fitch and a Collins/Tiffany. Both have the US on the blade, but I see the Roby has the blade marked USC. Was this marking only on the Roby? Guess I will have to get the Thillmann out. Illinigander Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted October 31, 2018 Share #9 Posted October 31, 2018 Very nice, Roby made their own blades didn't they? I thought the "iron proof" mark tended to mean German made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horseclover Posted November 1, 2018 Share #10 Posted November 1, 2018 Very nice, Roby made their own blades didn't they? I thought the "iron proof" mark tended to mean German made. My own conclusions are that Roby imported a good many, if not all the cavalry swords and at least blades in other instances. I base that on exceptions such as this blade and some others, along with the the similarity to Bleckman marked light cavalry swords with the distinctly different grips. ¶ I have some evidences Ames was dealing with Solingen sources as well after the trials resulting in the m1840, et al. That becoming apparent not just with blades but some fittings and scabbards, with the possibilities of entire swords being produced abroad. The association with Horstmann and earlier retailers/furbishers with Solingen many decades old. Cheers GC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted November 2, 2018 Share #11 Posted November 2, 2018 Having grown up in Chelmsford, Mass., and drove by the remains/site of the old ROBY factory for years. Believe he produced his own blades, never heard of importing them. Not saying it didn't happen, but had never heard of it. The blade in question is very ornate, and I have never seen one like it. Gotta do some more research. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M24 Chaffee Posted November 2, 2018 Share #12 Posted November 2, 2018 That is a great looking sword! The etching is nice and it’s cool to have the scabbard in very nice condition. Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted November 2, 2018 Share #13 Posted November 2, 2018 Check out this site on C. Roby, Chelmsford Swords. www.oldswords.com/articles/Christopher%20Roby-v2i1.pdf. Good article, lots of pic. Pay attention to the Foot Officer's sword on the second to last page. The ornamentation appears to be very close to the Model 1860 we're discussing. Also check out the "Spaulding Sword" on the last page. I glanced through it quickly, but came across nothing about importing from Germany. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horseclover Posted November 2, 2018 Share #14 Posted November 2, 2018 Yes, I am quite familiar with the Hamilton Man at Arms article from 1980. The Roby cavalry trooper sword distinctive enough to spot at several yards, unless proving to have been marked by Bleckman instead. What had drawn my own attentions some years ago was a very short nco straight sword with etching. In a good amount of discussion, the particular variation was duplicated by a few makers as contracts for musician boys swords for the USMC. What may seem entirely ironic is that they all have blades with fullers terminating several inches from the point and the ricasso plunge lines of the grinds wholly different than the regular nco and musician swords of those years. Toss in etching and scroll work on the castings and we are looking at something that was being copied to a very unified exactness, or the possibility of a lot of sharing or importing going on. I don't have any of John Thillman's works that may supersede older notes but it is the past couple of decades that have shown a lot of new information coming to light. Certainly both Ames and Roby were capable to manufacture and etch swords and it is also true Ames, at least, was not entirely doing everything in house. When we start to find evidences of absence in previous understandings, we need to keep an even more open mind in possibilities. I'd love to come across more data on the Roby plant and family. What would be even more incredible would be as much data from the likes of Hamilton regarding Roby as has been recovered regarding Ames. Cheers GC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horseclover Posted November 2, 2018 Share #15 Posted November 2, 2018 I glanced through it quickly, but came across nothing about importing from Germany. Are we all familiar with the use of the marking Iron Proof outside of German manufacture? Are we familiar with the NYC elite cutler houses importing premium German blades for officers? Listing them as a premium option when ordering a sword? Do we have blinders on? Cheers GC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted November 2, 2018 Share #16 Posted November 2, 2018 CG- I'm not familiar with the marking "iron proof" outside of German manufacture. Not a big sword collector, just like the Roby's because of the hometown connection. I am aware that imported high end blades were obtained from NYC distributors. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reschenk Posted November 2, 2018 Share #17 Posted November 2, 2018 A similar saber sold at Cowan's this past weekend for $2350. It was in excellent condition and was essentially identicle to this sword except for having a plain hilt. Here is the link: https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cowanauctions.com%2Flot%2Fc-roby-plain-hilt-model-1860-cavalry-officer-s-sword-3900984%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1m9o8UUep8Fyb9nsGSfupah5NkzGXauTGG_NBt4w2UgD_RGRQ0b29ESF0&h=AT1WJuSY2rn8nlvMOVvNHHcTIoFvhWzzZr003USKWEimRWTQRQLcnTEB7wPSVk62qqGoQwKp_3DssH_FnuUnZ2yZwOpXKLG7TBInI0YODca_CGfqDaVEfFakWySVDTjbUQ The Cowen's example was also marked "IRON PROOF". I believe the "Iron Proof" (or "Eisenhauer") mark was exclusive to German manufactured blades. If cutlers in other countries used it, I am unaware of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKIPH Posted November 3, 2018 Share #18 Posted November 3, 2018 Had a chance to handle the Roby today. It is a magnificent example. SKIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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