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Confederate Boyle & Gamble swords - real or?????


Bob Hudson
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A local collector brought these by to show me today. I wish I'd taken more photos but I hope the ones I did take have some clues about their origin: in Richmond in 1862, or in a 20th century workshop.

 

This one has has some engraving on the blade and CS on the guard. The blade is 33 inches long.

 

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20 minutes ago, Lsparks said:

Following for science.

 

They blinded me with science.

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14 minutes ago, Varangian said:

The lettering on the company mark looks individually stamped.  Arizona Swords has a couple of examples of fakes with that type of lettering on their website.

 

http://azswords.com/Fakes.htm

 

That cinches it: fakes/replicas - although they are not copies of the actual swords as far as I can tell. Whomever made them did a lot work to artificially age them. But, when you see two side-by-side, the aging looks very similar and i would not expect two actual 1862 swords to age the same unless they have been together since the war. 

 

When I looked at these this morning I told the owner that he either had a couple of well-done fakes, or something worth much more than he paid for them. As is, they are worth far less than he paid for them. I looked through worthpoint.com to track completed auctions of Boyle & Gamble swords for the last 10 years or so and some have sold for as much as $400 even when listed as a repro or  fake. At the low end they've sold for $120. 

 

I found a couple places on line where it said these were done by House of Swords and Militaria. Anyone have any experience with them back in the day?

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House of Swords and Militaria were well known fakers who sold good and bad items.  Look them up in a search or search for Joe Walters and that will give you all the information you need to know.

 

BTW, the markings on these two swords are all wrong indicating they are fakes made to deceive IMHO.

 

 

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2 hours ago, SARGE said:

BTW, the markings on these two swords are all wrong indicating they are fakes made to deceive IMHO.

 

I did find plenty online showing those are the wrong marks, but I'm no sure what the real B&G marks look like.

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Spathologist
1 hour ago, Bob Hudson said:

 

I did find plenty online showing those are the wrong marks, but I'm no sure what the real B&G marks look like.

 

I can't remember ever seeing one marked, other than those with Boyle, Gamble, & McFee cast in the guard. 

 

This guy might offer some insight:    

 

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