Armoury's Mark?

[Hotspur]

Hi guys,

It is somewhat fallacy to to assume very similar sabres to have even been destined for the American market. The general type were widely used by other countries and the Solingen manufacturers prodigous.

As to the forward bent guard, a quite common modification. Whether to hang on something like a belt or for a better thumb rest is unclear in my seeing this. Not unlike so many American nco spadroons with the guard bent on the wear side of carring. Field expedient for what ever reason and not a manufacturing process of those sabres (albeit the spadroons were often made one side drooped or formed for better uniform carry).

Regarding sharpened back edges, a good many versions of these have a grind meant for exactly that, a sharpened bac edge. Clauberg sabers of this type especially noted.

Regarding first trial swords for the American inspection, one dealer references them them as John Thillmann’s “Civil War Cavalry and Artillery Sabers” discusses this rare variation on page 370. This is identical to that example, with the tall pommel cap, blade marking of a diamond with “O” cartouche over 39 over S&K on the blade back, and matching diamond/O over 39 on the face of the guard. Scabbard drag marked crown/D and S&K

Could the cartouche also be found on S&K sabres be fairly widely distributed in Europe before those trials? I don't have Solingen information regarding all associated markings but the other marks mentioned on this sword read to me more like a Prussian or other acceptance and military number/letter markings for a regiment or battalion. Is this an S&K marked sword? I just don't know. I would be looking at European (even South America) markings such as these describe.

I did recently acquire an 1840 type that is entirely devoid of markings on the blade and made in the German fashion of cord over wood, then wire over the leather. This type was/is really the last period of wants for my collecting and researches. Unmarked swords of the period were mroe often thought to be exported from Solingen for whatever purpose an importer/retailer might make use of. Still, a good number of more simply marked with a manufacturer mark and also carry an American retailer's marks. My example has just a small mark on the castings bow and pommel. Still, no real provenance I know of to place it in American use but perhaps more likely than for European proof and unit markings.

That is not to say lots of marked swords did not land on American soils for whatever reason but the markings indicated are likely not sure provenance and history of their use. A good many will state that "of course, it must be Confederate and blockade runner's wares".

The wristbreaker information from Jim is pretty well founded considering the 1833 sabres preceding it and general little training. Another thought regarding that is that the dragoons who then got the fist true contract swords were not as nice as the trial swords had been. What is always a bit of amusement to me is that the French mle1822 and all the Solingen made swords were widely used throughout Europe until (and past) the 20th century and the one complaint we hear from those troops was a rather dismal outlook on the mle1822 swords for serious work.

Cheers

Hotspur; Compare how dainty and lively compared to an mle1854 dragon