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Old 2nd August 2021, 10:34 PM   #6
Jim McDougall
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Location: Route 66
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In Harold Peterson, "The American Sword 1775-1945", 1973, #120 is a Non-Regulation Staff & Field Officers Sword of Civil War (p.132-33).
This sword corresponds almost exactly to the example shown.

The example in the book has the same blade type with fuller and block ricasso the same. Interestingly the hilt of the 'regulation' Staff & Field Officers Sword 1850 is different in the piercework detail and letters US. On the 'official' pattern, these were with Clauberg blade with the name in ellipse around a standing knight figure, which was of course the Clauberg mark.

While the regulation pattern of 1850 was apparently made in the US, with Clauberg furnishing blades it seems with the outbreak of the Civil War, there were examples of these produced in France and sent to the US (Peterson, op.cit,p.133).These are the 'NON' regulation patterns as seen in the sword posted in our discussion.
In #119 (Peterson) the example has similar hilt but blade fullered differently and evidence of the Klingenthal makers name remains.

Next, #120, corresponding to our sword in discussion, the blade is noted as certainly of German make but no markings are seen.

As it is indicated that these non regulation swords of the 1850 pattern were made in France, it is likely that by this time Clauberg was providing blades, with hilts probably made in France and shipped entirely to Schuyler, Hartley and Graham in N.Y. or Horstmann in Philadelphia.
Interesting to see that by c. 1862 Clauberg appears to have been using the arrow marking, and seems to have dropped the IRON PROOF mark used on blades earlier.
In "Sword and Bayonet Makers of Imperial Germany 1871-1918", John Walter, 1973, it is noted Clauberg (apparently making blades from 1857) blades seem to all pre date Franco-Prussian war with notable volume to the firms mentioned during Civil War. The Clauberg firm was located in the Gasstrasse, shared with Anton Wingen Jr. , part of same combine.


So this Non-Regulation Staff and Field officers sword, with Clauberg blade, apparently with hilt either made as earlier suggested in Solingen, then sent to France for export, or the blade provided to a French cutler , then assembled for export.
The American firms were retailers .

This sword then reasonably dates to Civil War period as shown.
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