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Estate sale find: Civil War sword 1850 Sauerbier


Bob Hudson
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Well I hate that the internet seemingly does not have all the answers: sometimes it just has questions, such as the origin of the four leaf clover on the thumb guard of this sword:

 

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Before we get back to my questions about the cloverleaf, let me introduce this find from an estate sale today: it is a Henry Sauerbrier sword made during the Civil War in Newark, New Jersey, across the river from New York City. When I picked up the sword at the estate sale you could not read the maker's name - in fact you could not even tell there was a maker's name and only after I bought it and took it outside into direct sunlight was I able to see the faint outlines of etching on the blade. Basically it was rust coated until I took my trusty blade cleaning kit to it:

 

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After cleaning the maker's name was still not clear, but I could make out "Newark" and a Google search turned up a nice sample that made it clear what I had:

 

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One website describes the maker thusly:

 

"Henry Sauerbier was a cutler/ edged tool maker who in 1848 took over a business started by John H. Crawford in Newark, New Jersey. In 1851, Aaron Crawford had this firm in his own name and formed Crawford, Brown & Sauerbier. This firm was dissolved in 1853 and in 1855 Henry Sauerbier & Company started manufacturing saddle, harness and shoemakers tools. His early tools were marked: H. SAUERBIER. Around 1870 tools became marked: H. SAUERBIER & SONS. Henry died in 1874 and from 1875 to 1887 the business name was H. SAUERBIER'S SONS."

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Before I cleaned it up and found the maker's name, I searched Google with some of the characteristics of this sword, and one of the key ones was the cloverleaf shape. I found this in the Wikipedia article on the Irish Brigade, "an infantry brigade, consisting predominantly of Irish Americans, that served in the Union Army in the American Civil War."

 

"Several officers were permitted to purchase and carry non-regulation model 1850 Staff and Field officer's swords bearing a large four-leaf clover pierced into the hand guard."

 

Well, that intriguing bit of information cites no source and I cannot find anything else about it. What I do know is that part of the Irish Brigade came from Newark because apparently New Jersey didn't have enough room for all of the volunteers when they formed their first three regiments at Lincoln's behest:

 

"Large numbers of our citizens were obliged to seek service elsewhere, because the Governor could not accept them from the State: they may be found by companies in the Excelsior Brigade, Irish Brigade, Hawkins's Zouaves and other New York organizations..."

 

So we the Irish Brigade with New York and Newark members, apparently getting "non-regulation model 1850 Staff and Field officer's swords bearing a large four-leaf clover" and right there in Newark was Henry Sauerbier whose specialty was "non-regulation" and custom presentation swords and who happened to produce this sword with the four leaf clover.

 

"During the war, he also made a variation of the M1840 cavalry swords as well as non-regulation cavalry enlisted and officer's swords plus M1850 foot officer swords, and M1860 staff and field officer's swords. He is noted for making very unusual presentation swords with picture, soldier-head and precious stone pommels. He utilized silver and pewter hilts and as well as silver and pewter decorations on the hilts and scabbards on these swords."

 

So you can perhaps see why I wonder if this might have been an Irish Brigade sword? Anyone with info on Civil War swords and/or the irish Brigade is more than welcome to jump in and educate me.

 

Now as to this sword: the guard also has an American eagle in front of what are apparently flags. The metal has darkened quite a bit over the years, but I found some of these swords online with bright shiny examples of this:

 

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On the blade there is a U.S. on one side, and on the other what appear to be crossed cannons and I did in fact find a sale of a Sauerbrier artillery sword with cannons (and just for the record, the Irish Brigade did have the 7th and 4th New York Heavy Artillery at different times):

 

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My wife's calling me for dinner, but here's a couple more photos.

 

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Here's the blade before cleaning:

 

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You have a typical Sauerbier non-regulation officer sword. This distinctive guard normally has this pierced "four leaf clover" design on the counterguard along with the eagle and panoplay of flags on the obverse of the guard. These particular officer swords very often have leather grips instead of the normally seen sharksking as well. Your sword looks just as it should to be a Sauerbier, and this maker is a very desireable one. FYI, the scabbard is very unique as well having "sawtooth" edges to the fittings in a wave pattern.

 

A very nice find.

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Lovely sword. However the Shamrock - with three leaves - not the four-leaf clover - is generally associated with tje Irish. Erin go Bragh! Bobgee

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Lovely sword. However the Shamrock - with three leaves - not the four-leaf clover - is generally associated with tje Irish. Erin go Bragh! Bobgee

 

That's what I came to realize, but that statement in the Wikipedia article threw me off track.

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Lovely sword. However the Shamrock - with three leaves - not the four-leaf clover - is generally associated with tje Irish. Erin go Bragh! Bobgee

That's OKAY FS, it's still a nice sword......just don't wipe it down with ALCOHOL !! :lol:

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  • 2 weeks later...

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