ketland sabers

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by chevalier

anyone have one of these? they are superb looking weapons...

Ahhh....the rare, elusive and mysterious 'Ketland Sabres', much the kith and kin of the Blucher Sabre's and Sinclair Sabres !

This really had me going a minute as I tried to recall where I've seen the Ketland moniker. Then I remembered the name Ketland & Co. which is of course commonly seen on flintlocks often produced for North American trade. Apparantly this firm produced trade guns and other weaponry going to America, and I believe they sent swords as well, but I think the question is..whether any of the swords were so marked. Have you seen examples with markings Chevalier?
While the guns were intended for American Indian tribes primarilyand the locks clearly stamped, the swords presumably were retailed to American military officers, and were probably much like the excellent example Manuel Luis shows here with the 'seven ball' eagle head hilt.

I think the real mystery with these five and seven ball hilts, is what sort of symbolism might be held in the numeric of the ball decoration. There was an article in the "Journal of the Arms and Armour Society" writtenback in the 60's I believe, and the same question was posed, though suggestions were inconclusive. I was as usual, completely intrigued by such esoterica, and tried to come up with solutions. Brian Robson suggested in communication that is was simply aesthetic, but in a society as steeped in tradition and symbolism as that of Great Britain, I found that simplicity hard to fathom.

If there are any of the trade swords handled by (William) Ketland & Co. that are marked with the name I would very much to see them posted here.While many of the outfitters and retail firms did mark sword blades, it seems likely that many weren't. J.J.Runkel, who was of course a key purveyor in this period, did typically mark his weapons obtained from Solingen, but many were left unmarked if I understand correctly.