Swords at the Little Big Horn (Part II)

George Armstrong Custer · 5th May 2005, 09:07 PM

Hi Jeff,
I've emailed Jeff Broome - who posted about the sabre found on the plains of SD - asking him for the photos he offered to send. If these arrive I'll certainly put them up here. You're right - despite the clear nonsense of it being Custer's weapon, there remains an intriguing tale around this sabre and its discovery. If the pictures arrive and are clear enough they will hopefully clear up any doubt as to whether it is marked WK&C or W&C - didn't WK&C go on to manufacture dress swords and daggers for the Third Reich?

Jim, I take your points about the lack of incentive for non-German manufacturers to 'talk up' a blade by adding Solingen to it. As to the import of German M1840 and M1860 sabres, my researches into Christopher Roby & Co., turned up a gem of an article by John D. Hamilton in the January/February 1980 issue of Man At Arms magazine, 'Christopher Roby and the Chelmsford Sword.' Hamilton writes: 'However, as war approached it became evident that there was a dire shortage of edged weapons in the North as well as the South. even well established sword manufacturers such as Ames of Chicopee were unable to initially provide sufficient swords to meet government needs. So desperate was the Union for additional edged weapons that Ames, as well as Tiffany & Co of New York, resorted to importing German cavalry sabres at the outset of the war. For these swords, the government paid premium prices. In December 1861, Roby had little difficulty in disposing of 410 [imported] cavalry sabres that had been on hand.' Roby only geared production to the making of his own M1860 cavalry sabres from July 1863 - at a unit price of $5.75, with 1864's (the year Custer's was produced) production run going up to $6.50 per unit.

As you and Tom note, the Scots did indeed set great store in associations with renowned Continental blades. Wolviex rightly points out the spelling differences amongst faux German blades - and similar discrepancies are mirrored in those found on Scots blades. I've seen examples marked 'ANDREA FA RA RA' ; 'SS ANDRIA SS FARARA SS' ; 'ANDRIA X FARARA' ; 'FARARA SAHAGUN' ; 'FERARA ELVIEHO' ; 'ANDREIA FARARA' etc. etc. etc.

Yes - the Custer 'bug' is an addictive (though fascinating) one!

Regards,
George

5th May 2005, 09:07 PM	#19
George Armstrong Custer Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 6	Hi Jeff, I've emailed Jeff Broome - who posted about the sabre found on the plains of SD - asking him for the photos he offered to send. If these arrive I'll certainly put them up here. You're right - despite the clear nonsense of it being Custer's weapon, there remains an intriguing tale around this sabre and its discovery. If the pictures arrive and are clear enough they will hopefully clear up any doubt as to whether it is marked WK&C or W&C - didn't WK&C go on to manufacture dress swords and daggers for the Third Reich? Jim, I take your points about the lack of incentive for non-German manufacturers to 'talk up' a blade by adding Solingen to it. As to the import of German M1840 and M1860 sabres, my researches into Christopher Roby & Co., turned up a gem of an article by John D. Hamilton in the January/February 1980 issue of Man At Arms magazine, 'Christopher Roby and the Chelmsford Sword.' Hamilton writes: 'However, as war approached it became evident that there was a dire shortage of edged weapons in the North as well as the South. even well established sword manufacturers such as Ames of Chicopee were unable to initially provide sufficient swords to meet government needs. So desperate was the Union for additional edged weapons that Ames, as well as Tiffany & Co of New York, resorted to importing German cavalry sabres at the outset of the war. For these swords, the government paid premium prices. In December 1861, Roby had little difficulty in disposing of 410 [imported] cavalry sabres that had been on hand.' Roby only geared production to the making of his own M1860 cavalry sabres from July 1863 - at a unit price of $5.75, with 1864's (the year Custer's was produced) production run going up to $6.50 per unit. As you and Tom note, the Scots did indeed set great store in associations with renowned Continental blades. Wolviex rightly points out the spelling differences amongst faux German blades - and similar discrepancies are mirrored in those found on Scots blades. I've seen examples marked 'ANDREA FA RA RA' ; 'SS ANDRIA SS FARARA SS' ; 'ANDRIA X FARARA' ; 'FARARA SAHAGUN' ; 'FERARA ELVIEHO' ; 'ANDREIA FARARA' etc. etc. etc. Yes - the Custer 'bug' is an addictive (though fascinating) one! Regards, George Last edited by George Armstrong Custer; 5th May 2005 at 11:22 PM.