A particularly attractive and high-grade French-import Model 1850 Foot Officer’s Sword, representing one of the finest styles of officer’s sidearms carried during the Civil War era. This example exhibits excellent preservation throughout and displays the refined craftsmanship associated with quality French military sword production.

The blade remains bright with a pleasing luster and only a light sprinkling of dark gray patina speckling near the tip. The blade features the characteristic double fullers extending nearly to the point, a hallmark of many period French-manufactured officer’s swords. The acid-etched decoration remains crisp, well-defined, and easily visible.

Located near the guard are two French maker’s proof marks: a shield containing the letter “S” and an oval featuring a crown above the letter “P.” These marks further confirm its quality French manufacture.

The brass hilt retains an even, mellow golden appearance developed through age and careful preservation. The guard displays elegant floral and scrollwork decoration, while the grip retains its original ray (shark) skin covering and tightly wrapped twisted wire. A red cloth washer remains present at the base of the blade where it meets the guard, an important original feature intended to help prevent moisture from entering the scabbard.

The scabbard is particularly ornate, featuring richly decorated brass mounts. The upper mount displays a standing officer wearing epaulettes, believed to represent General Winfield Scott, while the reverse retains a decorative oval presentation panel that was never engraved. The middle mount is adorned with scrollwork motifs, and the lower mount features a starburst pattern and foliate decoration. The leather body of the scabbard remains solid, retaining its original black finish with no significant flaking, and the stitched seam remains intact along the reverse.
An exceptionally well-preserved and highly decorative example of the iconic Model 1850 Foot Officer’s Sword, offering outstanding eye appeal and historical significance.

Condition: Excellent overall. Bright etched blade with minor age speckling near the tip. Brass hilt and mounts retain an attractive mellow patina. Original sharkskin grip and twisted wire wrap intact. Leather scabbard remains solid with strong black finish and intact stitching. 

Inventory Number: SWO 380
 

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Revolutionary War Era 

Elegant and unmistakably martial, this fine French Model 1767 officer’s sword represents one of the classic forms carried by officers of the Ancien Régime during the decades immediately preceding and during the American Revolution. The sword features a beautifully executed gilt brass hilt with prominent single knuckle bow, urn-shaped pommel, and finely textured grip wrapped in its original wire binding, all displaying an attractive untouched patina developed over more than two centuries. The broad oval guard and flowing lines of the hilt reflect the distinctly refined French military aesthetic of the late 18th century. 

Examples of this pattern accompanied French officers serving in North America during the Revolutionary War and became highly prized by American Continental officers as well. French military aid under Louis XVI flooded the colonies with arms and military accoutrements, and swords of this exact style became associated with elite officers and gentlemen serving the Patriot cause. The form is closely tied to the era of Lafayette and Rochambeau, with period accounts and surviving examples documenting these elegant French officer swords in American service. Lafayette himself famously presented similar French officer swords to George Washington and other distinguished Continental officers as symbols of alliance and military esteem. 

The blade retains a pleasing aged surface consistent with honest period wear and service. The hilt remains especially attractive, with graceful proportions and strong visual appeal that display beautifully. Swords of this type bridge both French and early American military history, representing the critical alliance that helped secure American independence. A scarce and highly desirable Revolutionary War era officer’s sword possessing exceptional display presence and direct association with one of the most romantic periods of early American military history. 

Inventory Number: SWO 392

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French & Indian War / Revolutionary War Era 

A wonderfully elegant and distinctly martial mid-18th century French officer’s small sword retaining all the grace and refinement associated with the officer class of the Ancien Régime. The sword features a finely worked iron hilt of exceptional quality with pierced and chiseled decoration throughout, including an intricately patterned knuckle bow, pierced globular pommel, and beautifully sculpted quillon and guard elements displaying the unmistakable artistry of French military cutlers of the period. The grip retains its original twisted wire wrapping over the wood core, complementing the dark untouched patina of the iron mounts beautifully. 

The slender triangular-section blade reflects the classic form of the gentleman officer’s small sword carried during the French and Indian War era, when such weapons served both as symbols of rank and practical sidearms. French officers stationed throughout North America commonly carried swords of this exact style during the great colonial conflicts between France and Britain in the 1750s and early 1760s. 

Following Britain’s victories in the French and Indian War, large quantities of French arms and military goods found their way into colonial American hands through battlefield capture, trade, and surplus dispersal. By the time of the American Revolution, many American officers and gentlemen carried earlier French swords acquired during those conflicts. As a result, surviving examples such as this bridge two defining periods of early American military history — the struggle between European empires in North America and the later fight for American independence. 

The sword displays beautifully with outstanding visual character and untouched surfaces throughout. The pierced iron hilt possesses remarkable depth and detail, showing the sophisticated craftsmanship associated with high-quality French officer’s arms of the mid-18th century. An evocative and highly desirable French & Indian War period officer’s small sword with direct stylistic and historical ties to early America and the Revolutionary era. 

Inventory Number: SWO 391

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Colonial America & French and Indian War Era 

A scarce late 17th to mid-18th century French infantry short sword or hanger retaining tremendous battlefield character and unmistakable colonial-era presence. This iron-mounted example dates approximately from the 1690s through 1740s and represents the type carried by French infantry, colonial troops, marines, and militia forces throughout New France during the long series of colonial conflicts fought across North America. 

The sword features a sturdy iron hilt with simple functional guard, rounded pommel, and ribbed grip showing traces of its original decorative treatment. The heavy straight blade survives in pleasing untouched “attic” condition with a dark aged surface and scattered oxidation consistent with honest age and long service. The overall appearance strongly reflects the hard campaigning associated with early frontier warfare in North America. 

Weapons of this type would have seen service during the great colonial struggles between France and England, including King William’s War, Queen Anne’s War, King George’s War, and ultimately the French and Indian War. French regulars, Canadian militia, voyageurs, and allied native forces carried similar edged weapons throughout Canada, the Great Lakes, the Ohio Valley, and down into Louisiana. 

Following British victories in the French and Indian War, captured French arms entered colonial American hands in significant numbers. Many such swords continued to see use by Americans during the Revolutionary War era, particularly among militia and frontier troops who often relied upon older captured or surplus military equipment. As a result, surviving examples like this connect directly to nearly a century of early American colonial conflict. 

An especially atmospheric and highly displayable early French military sword with outstanding age, untouched surfaces, and strong historical association to the formative military struggles of colonial North America. 

Inventory Number: SWO 393 

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A handsome and well-balanced late 18th to early 19th century. English fighting dagger or naval dirk bearing the maker’s mark “SAUNDERS” stamped clearly on the blade, likely a product of the noted English cutler Cornelius Desormeaux Saunders. Active during the late Georgian period, Saunders was associated with the renowned English edged weapons trade supplying fine quality swords, dirks, and military accoutrements to officers of the British Army and Royal Navy during the age of the American Revolution and Napoleonic conflicts. 

The dagger features a refined ivory-toned grip with elegant fluted carving, simple steel crossguard with recurved quillon, and a sturdy spear-point blade retaining a pleasing untouched surface with scattered freckling and honest age throughout. The overall form is distinctly Georgian in character, combining understated elegance with practical martial utility. 

Weapons of this nature were favored by naval officers, marines, military gentlemen, and private purchasers throughout the British Empire during the Revolutionary War era. Similar daggers accompanied officers serving in North America during the American Revolution, while captured British arms frequently passed into American hands during and after the conflict. Examples such as this remained popular well into the Federal period and the War of 1812, particularly among naval officers and gentlemen seeking compact yet effective sidearms. 

Cornelius Desormeaux Saunders is associated with the celebrated English cutlery and sword-making traditions centered in Birmingham and London — two of the great arms-producing centers of the British Empire. Surviving marked examples are increasingly sought after for both their quality and direct connection to the great military conflicts of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. 

An especially attractive and historically evocative English dirk with strong Revolutionary War associations, desirable maker-marked blade, and outstanding display presence. 

Inventory Number: EDG 141

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Original Civil War period Model 1855 triangular socket bayonet retaining an attractive even plum patina throughout. Accompanied by an old collector’s identification tag noting recovery or association with “Fort DeRussy, Rock Creek Park,” tying the piece to one of the principal earthwork forts defending Washington, D.C. during the Civil War. Fort DeRussy played an active role during the July 1864 Battle of Fort Stevens, where its heavy artillery helped repel Jubal Early’s Confederate advance on the capital. A solid display example with appealing untouched surface and historic Washington defenses association.

Inventory Number: BAY 321

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A solid and honest example of the 1853 Pattern English Cavalry Sword, retaining strong character and clear period features. The flat-backed, deeply fullered blade presents a bright gray appearance with a consistent speckling of darker patina throughout. The reverse of the blade is clearly stamped “MOLE” near the guard, identifying the Birmingham maker. The blade shows typical wear from service, including light surface spotting and a small nick along the cutting edge, consistent with age and use.

The steel guard and hilt exhibit a smooth, even brown patina. The grip retains its original leather covering, which remains intact and firmly secured, though the checkering has been worn smooth from handling. The twisted wire wrap is no longer present. A small area of leather loss is noted along the left side of the grip.

The leather blade washer at the guard remains intact and in fine shape. The steel scabbard displays a dark gray to brown patina with scattered spotting. There are two small dings on the right side, and the very tip shows a slight bend, likely from period use.

A well-marked and visually appealing British cavalry sword, offering strong display presence and honest wear—an excellent representative example of the iconic 1853 pattern. 

Inventory Number: SWO 374 

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A classic example of the Model 1840 Heavy Cavalry Saber, presenting as a solid and honest U.S. manufactured piece. The flat-backed blade remains in excellent condition, retaining a bright finish with only a few scattered, light spots of darker patina. There is evidence of careful cleaning in the past, and the blade flats near the hilt are unmarked, with no visible maker or inspector stamps.

The brass hilt displays a pleasing, untouched patina, showing a mellow yellow tone with some darker brown spotting consistent with age. The grip retains its original leather covering and twisted wire wrap, both remaining intact and tight. The leather blade washer at the guard is still present and in place. The steel scabbard carries a deep, dark brown patina with a few lighter speckled areas from age and handling.

Overall, a strong and attractive example of the iconic Model 1840—often referred to by soldiers as the “Old Wristbreaker”—with a hefty blade and classic wartime profile.

Inventory Number: SWO 366

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A classic Civil War example of the Model 1860 Light Cavalry Saber, manufactured by the Ames Manufacturing Company of Chicopee, Massachusetts and dated 1864. This is a well-preserved and honest piece showing clear signs of field use while retaining strong markings and overall integrity.  

The blade exhibits a bright gray tone with an attractive, even luster, complemented by a light peppering of darker patina spots. The left ricasso is clearly stamped “AMES MFG CO / CHICOPEE / MASS”, while the right bears inspector’s initials “D.R.” along with the date 1864, all remaining legible. Additional inspector markings are present, including “N.J.” (New Jersey), indicating state inspection and acceptance. 

The brass guard and pommel display a mellow, subdued yellow patina consistent with age and service. The pommel cap is further stamped with inspector initials “D.R.”. The grip retains its original leather covering and twisted wire wrap; the leather has darkened and shows wear, with areas fading to a lighter brown tone, but remains intact and stable. The leather blade washer at the guard is still present, an often-missing detail.  

The blade shows evidence of period use, with inventory numbers “27” and “141” applied in black marker along the fuller—likely later inventory or collection markings. Despite this, the blade remains structurally sound and in solid condition.  

The steel scabbard retains a deep, smooth brown patina. The lower ring mount has been removed, likely during service, and the drag area shows wear consistent with long-term use. A faint New Jersey marking is noted near the scabbard drag, further reinforcing its period state association.  

Overall, a strong and appealing example of a wartime Ames 1860 cavalry saber, complete with desirable inspector marks and clear evidence of service use. A solid collector piece with both visual appeal and historical character.  

Inventory Number: SWO 363 

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A scarce and visually striking example of the 1840 Model Musicians Sword, distinguished by its presentation-grade blade and decorative acid-etched panels.

The blade remains bright and clean, retaining crisp and well-defined etched designs. These include patriotic and foliate motifs, along with a script-style presentation inscription that remains visible despite light age toning. The etching stands out nicely against the polished steel, offering strong eye appeal and indicating a higher-grade piece 1 of only a few handful known.

The brass hilt exhibits a pleasing, mellow yellow tone with an even aged patina and scattered darker spotting. The grip and hilt components remain tight and well-preserved, maintaining their original form and integrity.

The leather scabbard is in solid condition, retaining its black finish with only light wear and minor speckling. The stitching remains intact overall, though there is an area where the outer layer has lifted slightly along the seam, consistent with age. The brass throat and drag fittings remain in place, with the drag showing typical wear from use. 

Overall, a handsome and uncommon musicians sword with desirable etched blade decoration—an excellent display piece with strong collector appeal.

Inventory Number: SWO 384

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