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US Model 1902 Army Officer Saber variation


SARGE
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I aquired a very interesting variation of the US Model 1902 Officer Saber last week that I thought I would share.

 

It is a regulation 1902 Army Officer Saber that was made/sold by D. Klein & Bro., Phila.,PA. It is an early sword having a brass hilt with a white metal grip that is painted black. It has the name of the Captain owner etched on the obverse blade where the Eagle or US is generally located. It has Jr.O.U.A.M. etched on the reverse blade in the same spot.

 

JrOUAM_sword.JPG

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This blade etching indicates that this particular sword was from the Junior Order of United American Mechanics patriotic organization. The Order of United American Mechanics was a natavist organization founded during the anti-alien riots of 1844-45 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Junior Order of United American Mechanics was founded in 1853 in Germantown, Pennsylvania and is still in existence today as a patriotic and fraternal organization. This sword dates prior to WWI.

 

JrOUAM_blade.JPG

 

Here is a photograph of the sword blade as well as a photo of a Jr.O.U.A.M. drill team. This team was located in the Jr.O.U.A.M No.226 Hall located in Norwood, Ohio. Notice that there are two of these swords hanging on the stands of arms in front of the soldiers.

 

JrOUAM226DegreeTeam.jpg

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I like it Sarge, my fondness for the 1902 saber is growing and many are priced right. I did finally find a nice 1872 Cavalry Officer's saber that has been missing from my collection for a couple years. Now for the tough part or lucky part to find a nice knot for it.

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I like it Sarge, my fondness for the 1902 saber is growing and many are priced right. I did finally find a nice 1872 Cavalry Officer's saber that has been missing from my collection for a couple years. Now for the tough part or lucky part to find a nice knot for it.

 

 

I know what you mean... these 1902 swords are addictive. They have been regulation for over 100 years so there are some interesting variations to be found. Here is a photo of the obverse of the blade showing the owner's name.

 

JrOUAM_name.JPG

 

The 1872 Cavalry Officer swords have become hard to find in nice condition lately. When I see them for sale they are generally in beat up condition. The Volunteer Militia wore the 1872 swords but very few officers moved to the 1902 swords since volunteer militia was pretty much a thing of the past by World War I. The National Guard supplanted allmost all the colorful volunteer militia units like the Jr.O.U.A.M. They only exist in old swords and faded photographs now.

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Sarge is there any documentation on the different 1902 manufactures and numbers of sabers they made? I have noticed also that the Springfield Arsenal 1902s bring a large premium is this because of the number made or because they were arsenal made?

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Sarge is there any documentation on the different 1902 manufactures and numbers of sabers they made? I have noticed also that the Springfield Arsenal 1902s bring a large premium is this because of the number made or because they were arsenal made?

 

There is one massive 627 page book that every US sword collector needs. It is Richard Bezdek's "American Swords and Sword Makers" ISBN 0-87364-765-3. You must be careful about some of his start and end dates but it is a very thorough compilation of information.

 

Bezdek indicates Springfield Arsenal made a total of 6 General Officer M1902 swords in 1902 with a total production of 5,401 standard M1902 swords between 1902-1914 when they ceased production of them. I see these SA swords routinely sell for aproximately three times what other M1902 swords sell for but they are not scarce with over 5,000 produced. I guess it is the lure of being arsenal produced that drives the prices on these?

 

Bezdek indicates that D.Klein & Brothers in Philadelphia only made the M1902 sword between 1902-1905 so logically my sword (if it were a standard sword and not a militia piece) should be worth more than a SA sword since it was in production for less time with fewer made. That is not reflected in the prices paid however. So, scarcity alone does not drive price in this instance. Go figure...

 

JrOUAM_maker.JPG

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Thanks for the information Sarge I already have Bezdek's volume two and just ordered volume one that you referred to from Amazon new for $40. Between saddles, accoutrements, uniforms and sabers my reference library is growing. When you think about it to spend less than a hundred bucks on someone’s years or lifetime of research is money well spent. I hopefully will soon be posting some history about the RIDABOCK presentation I acquired a couple months ago. I sent a letter to the research center for the New York Military History Museum inquiring about the 1st lieutenant and his regiment. I'm hoping I can retrieve a little provenance about the saber's original owner.

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  • 1 year later...
hornet41285

Have a look at this Sarge and tell me what you think?

 

post-11436-1272565120.jpg

 

This insignia is on a 1902 Army Dress Blue Jacket. I cant find anything anywhere that says this is a actual Army insignia. So Im assuming that it has to be connected to this militia. Especially since the uniform was made by Cincinnati Regalia Company and Norwood is just northeast of Cincinnati.

 

 

This blade etching indicates that this particular sword was from the Junior Order of United American Mechanics patriotic organization. The Order of United American Mechanics was a natavist organization founded during the anti-alien riots of 1844-45 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Junior Order of United American Mechanics was founded in 1853 in Germantown, Pennsylvania and is still in existence today as a patriotic and fraternal organization. This sword dates prior to WWI.

 

post-130-1239819722.jpg

 

Here is a photograph of the sword blade as well as a photo of a Jr.O.U.A.M. drill team. This team was located in the Jr.O.U.A.M No.226 Hall located in Norwood, Ohio. Notice that there are two of these swords hanging on the stands of arms in front of the soldiers.

 

post-130-1239819827.jpg

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A very neat M1902 coat. I think you are right on the money with identifying this as the blue version of the Jr. OUAM Militia coat. I have never seen this insignia before. Nice coat. :thumbsup:

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Spathologist
I see these SA swords routinely sell for aproximately three times what other M1902 swords sell for but they are not scarce with over 5,000 produced. I guess it is the lure of being arsenal produced that drives the prices on these?

 

Bezdek indicates that D.Klein & Brothers in Philadelphia only made the M1902 sword between 1902-1905 so logically my sword (if it were a standard sword and not a militia piece) should be worth more than a SA sword since it was in production for less time with fewer made. That is not reflected in the prices paid however. So, scarcity alone does not drive price in this instance. Go figure...

 

I think part of the SA premium is due to Springfield Armory having many specialists who collect their weapons, both firearms and edged weapons.

 

It also needs to be said that ~ 3700 of the ~5500 M1902s produced were of the first pattern; these are relatively common and do not command as much of a premium. The other patterns are much more scarce and command the higher premiums.

 

There is also the "official armory-produced weapon" factor, vice the "imported-by-the-zillions-and-marked-with-the-dealer's-name civilian copy". Your saber is certainly not in the latter category, as its etching and intended market are quite particular, but Klein was a dealer and not a manufacturer; the blades on their military M1902s were doubtless carbon copies made in Solingen, interchangeable with those of most other dealers, and I think this explains the price difference.

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  • 1 year later...
I think part of the SA premium is due to Springfield Armory having many specialists who collect their weapons, both firearms and edged weapons.

 

It also needs to be said that ~ 3700 of the ~5500 M1902s produced were of the first pattern; these are relatively common and do not command as much of a premium. The other patterns are much more scarce and command the higher premiums.

 

There is also the "official armory-produced weapon" factor, vice the "imported-by-the-zillions-and-marked-with-the-dealer's-name civilian copy". Your saber is certainly not in the latter category, as its etching and intended market are quite particular, but Klein was a dealer and not a manufacturer; the blades on their military M1902s were doubtless carbon copies made in Solingen, interchangeable with those of most other dealers, and I think this explains the price difference.

This example was retailed by Kline, but was made by Ames sword Co.

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This example was retailed by Kline, but was made by Ames sword Co.

 

Yes, most of these swords have the dealer or distributor or tailor name etched on the ricasso while the sword was made in part, or whole, by someone else. That is the way the sword business was conducted... the "parts is parts" philosophy. A military outfitter, such as "American Military Supply" or "Meyer" in New York would order hundreds of swords from Ames or Eickhorn, et. al. and have their name factory etched on the blade of the ricasso. These dealers also used trade names such as "Conquer" or "Reviere" to distinguish different grades of the swords that they sold. So, whether they manufactured them, assembled them from parts, or simply sold them in their store, the sword is forever associated with whoever had their name etched or stamped on the blade.

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