Old saber from a barn in northeastern Pennsylvania

Lee · 23rd January 2016, 08:30 PM

A friend found this saber in his grandfather's barn in northeastern Pennsylvania, probably about fifty years ago. The blade is 26¼ inches long with an overall hilted length of 36½ inches. There is a short ricasso with stamped marks - one is a W under a star within an impressed shield shape (not the teardrop as in the image below) and another much less well struck possibly with a P inside an impressed circle or oval. The opposite face of the ricasso appears to have a 'G' mark. The back of the blade is flat but it becomes sharp in the final 5½ inches. The body of the blade is mostly a wide shallowly convex fuller with a narrow bevel to the edge. The hilt is missing the guard (indeed, the hilt had been stuck back on backwards for longer than I have lived), but it is clear that there was a knuckle guard once that inserted into the pommel. The grip and pommel are covered in sheet iron which may be seen to be over a wooden core.

The blade looks to be of military type and I'll speculate later 18th to mid 19th century. I am not sure that I can place an octagonal iron clad grip, but that makes me suspect militia. So possibly something from the American Revolution up through to the War of 1812?

Your suggestions are welcomed!

23rd January 2016, 08:30 PM	#1
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 913	Old saber from a barn in northeastern Pennsylvania A friend found this saber in his grandfather's barn in northeastern Pennsylvania, probably about fifty years ago. The blade is 26¼ inches long with an overall hilted length of 36½ inches. There is a short ricasso with stamped marks - one is a W under a star within an impressed shield shape (not the teardrop as in the image below) and another much less well struck possibly with a P inside an impressed circle or oval. The opposite face of the ricasso appears to have a 'G' mark. The back of the blade is flat but it becomes sharp in the final 5½ inches. The body of the blade is mostly a wide shallowly convex fuller with a narrow bevel to the edge. The hilt is missing the guard (indeed, the hilt had been stuck back on backwards for longer than I have lived), but it is clear that there was a knuckle guard once that inserted into the pommel. The grip and pommel are covered in sheet iron which may be seen to be over a wooden core. The blade looks to be of military type and I'll speculate later 18th to mid 19th century. I am not sure that I can place an octagonal iron clad grip, but that makes me suspect militia. So possibly something from the American Revolution up through to the War of 1812? Your suggestions are welcomed! Attached Images