Interesting thread Gentlemen, but, there is a very large bull elephant in the room. Since we are here to learn I will place a quote from William A. Albaugh III 's A Photographic Supplement of Confederate Swords In his Addendum Preface;
' In the past, those with a strong case of Dishonesty would take an artillery saber (with single fuller) attach the guard assembly from a yankee foot officer's sword, and lo and behold, this ugly hybrid became in the eyes of the uninitiated - a Confederate sword! The stamping of the three magic letters "C.S.A." removed any vestige of doubt.
When the fraternity grew wary of such trickery, the faker simply turned to some artist friend to etch the blade with fantastically pro-Confederate designs. These included not one, but several "C.S.A.'s", southern flags and mottos such as "Death to all Yankees.."
This type of quackery still persists and in some cases is quite accomplished, particularly when a genuine Confederate sword supplies the basic ingredient.'
All the Best
Jeff
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