Quote:
In this sabre the pommel is of similar form to the officers swords later in the century, and the fluted grips also. French sword grips often had vertical fluting but ebony was much more common. The interesting vertically sectioned langet seems to suggest U.S. as well as the notably parabolically curved blade. These strong curves were much favored on some of the earlier U.S. sabres, particularly those made by the Virginia Manufactory. Many of these early sabres were incredibly long with dramatic curve, and most were shortened down by Confederate officers during the 'War Between the States' (Civil War) as I was told vehemently to call it when I lived in Nashville!
There is nothing comparable in "The American Sword" (H.L.Peterson) but I just noticed Fernando's astute comment....the material in the grip does indeed appear 'organic' and when cleaned...ebony? If so, this is French I would think.
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Hi Jim,
It is sometimes hard not to counter formula such as 4+16=47 because we can be pretty sure it is false. Both the reeded grips and funky langets are hardly American at all, with parallels easily found on British cutlery, the source of many American arms in the post revolution period. While I could point to/attach many examples of the grips and langet style on American market eagle head pommels, the cutlery and forms are still distinctly British, French and Prussian.
Peterson does not go to the long neck French pommels but contemporary upscale officers swords being cutlered in America are found there (for instance Emmor T Weaver). The work of American swordmakers aside, the upswept blade is also hardly unique to the U.S. and the trend lasts for decades on the continent.
So I can see how you can get to 47 by adding 4 and 16 with a good bit of supposition but we cold also suppose Birmingham was really in Alsace
The noodly design on the langet is not uncommon at all on British swords and the iron hilt kind of odd for France but not as odd if perhaps put together by a cutler drawing from different sources.
As an addendum to Peterson, we now have the Medicus collection indexed with little speculation but there are some examples f these long neck French types. Not surprising to me that both Stuart Mowbray and Norm Flayderman segregate them on a single page while listing them as not made for American use ut may have been carried by an American.
Stating French design dominating U.S. swords after the revolution is a bit off as well because the market was by and large being supplied by England and Prussia. It is not until the demise of swords such as the American 1833 dragoon that a real coalition and adoption of French style then prevails.
One aside on the thought of highly upswept blades is that there was meant to be less shock transmitted in a passing blow. At times that may be seen taken to an extreme. We could then add 57 and point out dragoons were often and really meant as mounted infabtry, thus why we might find a spadroon blade embellished to a dragoon, or why sabre blades were clipped in history to better suit fighing on foot.
So if we add 47 and 57, I guess we come up with 96
Cheers and happy Sunday
GC