Napoleonic Era German Made Sabres For The American Market

[Horseclover]

I just read a thread here that could have been better examined.  Labeled as quite late. I'll wager no later than about 1830 and droves used by the US militias.

 

Here is my prettier Berger and clearly meant for the US.  Note the wide early German guard and the E Pluribus Unum eagle.  The plain Jane versions not uncommon and if you trawl through ebay, there is a Horstmann marked example.  The sword in the closed thread is most certainly not a German 1873 artillery sword.

[Horseclover]

My mistake, the ebay sword is marked to Widmann (although incorrectly listed as USMC)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/154626254523?

[Horseclover]

The US used up a lot of European surplus.  I'm not sure if there is an easy way to vet an unidentified sword, as there were simply so many variations sold to the US market.  Here is one for you.  At a simple glance, one might think not for US consumption.   Yet...

 

Do you guys want to set a guideline for a timeline to simply dismiss swords one can find in Peterson's The American Sword?

[Horseclover]

Or something like this that would be dismissed...except

 

IMO, there are so many unmarked swords that bear consideration, just like an unmarked wristbreaker during the ACW.

 

I say a great many may have been US used.

[Dirk]

I dabble in blades so occasionally track the edge weapons threads and have read enough of your posts you know you have vastly more knowledge then most of us here. Please don’t hold back on your opinions on blades. I learn a lot from them!…now off to the Baltimore show where I can see some great examples up close. Again that wrist breaker, unless pointed out to me what it was, would have been ignored if I saw it at a show. 

[Horseclover]

I thank you for the accolade.  IIRC, my first post here was sharing information/  I try to absorb the knife discussions but rarely reply in knife posts because of my ignorance regarding US military knives.

 

Swords as well, if I don't know, I don't guess.  We all have something to contribute.  There are those here well versed with later US swords and I learn what I can.  My primary focus regards pre ACW swords.

 

Cheers

GC

 

My last American sword in and perhaps capping a mispent few decades.  1790s Bolton type eagle.  Hey, I don't even know all about the eagle pommels but could help with some inquiries.  A clipboard of eagles and other swords.  Some may seem out of place.  This is a late a 2021 upload.  I have more archived since then. Eagles 3.0  enjoy.

 

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Ndp0rNCqEuooH2EVkLNa6ei9HYFkIStB?usp=sharing

[Dirk]

That eagle pommel is a stunner…I am looking forward to John Thillmanns next volume which covers those. I think many Eagle Pommels are still under valued.

[Horseclover]

Not to deride Thillmann, as the army book is exhaustive in scope but upon reading his description of an eagle, it was quite a disappointment (incorrect info).  I hope he includes a complete bibliography of his eagle studies. Thillmann has the ability to write as an essay but has tripped over some cracks that are not in the current books.

 

Two have wanted me to build an eaglehead pommel section on their websites but I have refrained.  The scope of the genre then breaks down to more subsections and timelines.  Even the elder Mowbray couldn't do it in one fell swoop.  I spend a lot of time on just three older eagle forms but as you can see with the clipboard upload, I watch many types.  That's just the eagle clipboard! :D

 

 

Cheers

GC 

 

 

[Horseclover]

The three stooges.

 

'No wonder the water don't work! grr grrr Hey Mo! Larry!!! There's wires in these pipes!"

 

Bolton, Ketland and Osborn types.  Main players early in the 19th century.  The Ketland type morphs a bit.