I checked p.178 of "The Custer Album" by Frost and viewed the photo of the Confederate sabre discussed, and this is most definitely one of the colonial Mexico blades. I reviewed text and illustrations concerning these blades in "Spanish Military Weapons in Colonial America :1700-1821" (S. Brinckerhoff & Pierce Chamberlain, Stackpole, 1972) and on p.73 it notes,"...the wide, double edged ,hexagonal blade with three fullers is probably the most common blade found throughout the Spanish colonies".
I have a Spanish colonial sabre with three bar hilt and one of these exact blades with three fullers, and the "Spanish motto". It is mounted exactly as shown in Brinckerhoff & Chamberlain p.88 (pl.163) which is captioned as "a Mexican dragoon sabre c.1820". The blade on my sword is 34 1/2" blade.
The blade in the book's example is hexagonal but lacks the three fullers as well as the 'motto' instead marked with Carlos III (Charles III).
In examining illustrations and examples of these swords, it seems those with triple fullers carry the 'motto' and hexagonal cross section, while those that are associated with regulation Spanish swords are hexagonal but do not have the motto. In Brinkerhoff & Chamberlain (op.cit. p.15) it is noted that c.1761 King Charles sent officers to Prussia to study tactics, formations and equipment.
Another example of similar hilt probably earlier, c.1800 is mounted with a hexagonal blade with central panel fullered in same dimensions as the triple fullers, with 'Toledo*Sagaum' inscribed. This is clearly a German product with misspelled Sahagum and familiar flourishes, seeming to be an earlier blade of c.1770's. I think that it seems quite plausible that during the contact with Germany in the 1760's that King Charles may have aligned a degree of production of German made blades in the favored hexagonal section already standard with the Spanish military swords. The central fullering is quite characteristic of German trade broadsword blades, in fact the most prominant supplier of 'kaskara' blades with similar fullering in the 19th c. was Solingen.
I have long suspected that these blades in Spanish colonial swords may well have been German, and the Custer example seems compelling evidence with the markings noted by Frost. Thus far I have not seen evidential German markings, only the 'motto' and the atypical fullers on hexagonal blades.
Concerning the magnificent Scottish baskethilt Jeff has posted, the large block letters with the motto intersected by dots or circles seems to be also characteristic of German made blades. The Scots very much favored German blades, in fact it is likely most blades on the baskethilts were of German manufacture. They were also very enamoured with Spain's reputation for fine swords, and Germany in clever marketing ploy created blades using names from Spains famed makers from early times. A baskethilt of c.1680 carries an earlier German blade with misspelled 'Sebastian' and the typical flourishes seen on German blades, while the makers stamp is Wirsberg mid 17th c.
Sebastian almost certainly refers to Spanish maker Sebastian (H) or (F) ernandez c.1650, but more research needed on that. The point is that Germans were using Spanish markings etc. on blades from 17th c. onward, probably even earlier.
I am familiar with fact that there were British supply lines to the Confederacy via various Caribbean ports, and would speculate that it would seem feasible that Confederate blockade runners may have also entered the Spanish colonial sphere via Cuba. Here it would seem quite possible that blades may have been obtained such as the one on the Confederate officers sabre.
There remains of course the possibility that the blade may have been a heirloom captured during the Mexican-American War 1846.
I do hope that this sword might be eventually found among the Smithsonian labyrinth as it is in my opinion one of Custers more important swords. The others seem as described rather casually collected, however the Roby sabre is no doubt an outstanding example by an important maker.
Best regards,
Jim
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