Georgian 'Horse head' Yeomanry officers sabre

Radboud · 5th February 2024, 08:38 PM

Good day Jim and thank you for sharing that page with us.

Interesting that a similar sword sold at Rock River Auctions some while back, almost identical but with a 33 inch blade:

Quote:

Manufactured without maker or merchant marks, notes provided by the consignor suggest it was a Dragoon officer's sword, though a nearly identical example featured on page 106 of Peterson's "The American Sword 1775-1945" is attributed as an artillery sword. Peterson further notes that most known examples of the type feature a German-style "stirrup" guard, as opposed to the half-solid, half-chain guard seen in the book and on this sword.

Overall length is 37 3/4 inches, with a 33 inch curved single fuller blade, decorated on the lower half with gold washed patriotic and martial etching on a niter blue field. The hilt is gold washed brass, with a sculpted eagle claw on the rear quillion, a swan with nicely detailed feathers for the guard, a horse head pommel and a checkered antique grip. The scabbard is black leather construction, with lightly engraved gilt brass furniture.

The different blade lengths on identical hilts leads me to suspect that these were intended to catch the purchaser’s fancy rather than for a specific unit type.

Jim McDougall · 5th February 2024, 09:31 PM

Totally agree! There was obviously varying functional consideration by the type of unit as well as the preferences of officers in the swords they commissioned or acquired.
It seems artillery swords, dragoon swords were often closely related, many hilt designs the same.
Naval swords were often virtually the same as cavalry in many cases.

In the thread on Alamo swords, we are noting the Virginia Manufactory sabers of c. 1803-12, which had incredibly long blades for a saber.....over 40"!! (not suggesting these were used at Alamo, but among swords of period noted).
I cannot imagine what they were thinking......this would be impossible.
When these Virginia swords found use in the Civil War, blades were mostly cut back to about 34".

I have noticed that in some cases, even cavalry officers sabers in the Georgian period were unusually short, I once had a1796 officers saber pre-1801, that had about 29" blade. Perhaps it was a dress saber?

5th February 2024, 09:31 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,194	Totally agree! There was obviously varying functional consideration by the type of unit as well as the preferences of officers in the swords they commissioned or acquired. It seems artillery swords, dragoon swords were often closely related, many hilt designs the same. Naval swords were often virtually the same as cavalry in many cases. In the thread on Alamo swords, we are noting the Virginia Manufactory sabers of c. 1803-12, which had incredibly long blades for a saber.....over 40"!! (not suggesting these were used at Alamo, but among swords of period noted). I cannot imagine what they were thinking......this would be impossible. When these Virginia swords found use in the Civil War, blades were mostly cut back to about 34". I have noticed that in some cases, even cavalry officers sabers in the Georgian period were unusually short, I once had a1796 officers saber pre-1801, that had about 29" blade. Perhaps it was a dress saber?