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Foot Officer's Sword
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Sold
DESCRIPTION
Klingenthal made US 1850 Foot Officer's Sword. Follows the French fashion in using horn for the grip, but shows a clear U.S. in the blade etching indicating it was destined for the U.S. market. See Thillmann, US Army Swords, pages 340-342, for similar examples. This would have been marketed through one of the American military goods dealers of the time, who frequently imported their goods from foreign suppliers. The spine is marked: "Manufre. du Klingthal Coulaux & Cie." The blade has an unstopped main broad fuller and a narrow upper fuller that runs out to the spear-point tip, which has a false edge. The leather pad is in place at the shoulder.
The blade shows a dull silver mixed with some bright areas and darker gray on right side, and the same on the left, but with some standing brown about 2/3 of the way to the point that should be cleaned off with some 0000 steel wool and oil. The etching is visible, but does not jump out at you. The pattern is the usual mixture of floral motifs with a US on the left side about 5 inches from the guard, and a spread-winged eagle on the right about 6 inches from the guard. The US is easy to make out, the eagle is tougher.
The brass guard is untouched with a nice aged patina. The twisted brass wire is in place in the channel of the grip, which is in very good condition. Please see the photos.
With the sword are the remnants of the top-stitched leather scabbard with the brass upper and middle mounts. No marks on either piece. The scabbard was broken through about 3 inches below the upper mount. Another 18 inches with the middle mount is present as well, but has a partial break itself, an open seam, etc.
The sword descended in the Ficklen family who lived in Falmouth, Va., during the war. (See the signed Lee photo I also offer, from the same source.) The family history was that it was picked up on the Fredericksburg battlefield after the battle by one of their young boys. The battle was on the other side of the river, of course; from what I can tell the father packed off his wife and kids to Baltimore during the fighting; and, the whole area was filled with Union army camps until the Spring of 1863. So, there is no telling how exactly he came by it, but it is real wartime relic retained by the family.
Shipping $18.95 insured. NY addresses add sales tax.
The blade shows a dull silver mixed with some bright areas and darker gray on right side, and the same on the left, but with some standing brown about 2/3 of the way to the point that should be cleaned off with some 0000 steel wool and oil. The etching is visible, but does not jump out at you. The pattern is the usual mixture of floral motifs with a US on the left side about 5 inches from the guard, and a spread-winged eagle on the right about 6 inches from the guard. The US is easy to make out, the eagle is tougher.
The brass guard is untouched with a nice aged patina. The twisted brass wire is in place in the channel of the grip, which is in very good condition. Please see the photos.
With the sword are the remnants of the top-stitched leather scabbard with the brass upper and middle mounts. No marks on either piece. The scabbard was broken through about 3 inches below the upper mount. Another 18 inches with the middle mount is present as well, but has a partial break itself, an open seam, etc.
The sword descended in the Ficklen family who lived in Falmouth, Va., during the war. (See the signed Lee photo I also offer, from the same source.) The family history was that it was picked up on the Fredericksburg battlefield after the battle by one of their young boys. The battle was on the other side of the river, of course; from what I can tell the father packed off his wife and kids to Baltimore during the fighting; and, the whole area was filled with Union army camps until the Spring of 1863. So, there is no telling how exactly he came by it, but it is real wartime relic retained by the family.
Shipping $18.95 insured. NY addresses add sales tax.