Edged Weapons

W. Walscheid Solingen Model 1840 Heavy Cavalry Saber, imported. These were widely used on both sides during the War between the states, but based on where I acquired this one, I’d guess that it was Confederate carried. Walscheid operated in Solingen Germany/Prussia around 1855-1865, supplying both sides of the American Civil War. The exact import numbers remain unknown. This specific Sword does not bear a manufacture date, but most of the company marking is still visible at the base of the blade. The blade itself does not bear any visible dings on the cutting edge. With age, the patina has turned the blade into a pretty-looking dark grey color. The scabbard shows typical wear from being carried, with no major dents and dings, and sporting a dark grey patina and a few brown patina spots. The handle appears to be all original, showing signs of typical wear from being carried, with some of the wood visible through the leather wrap. The main portion of the handle guard remains undamaged, still bearing the wide twists and turns, with the aged brass giving it a very cool look. The Back part of the guard has been bent at an upward angle as seen in the photos. This is not post-war tampering, and is in fact very common to see. This part of the guard would be bent up by the soldier carrying the weapon in an attempt to create a designated thumb location, which helped with gaining more control over the weapon while in use. Overall, this is a very cool piece of Civil War Cavalry history, and would be a great addition to a Confederate Cavalry Display! — $895

Mansfield and Lamb Model 1860 Light Cavalry saber, dated 1864. These were widely carried throughout the war by Federal cavalry. This particular one has definitely seen its fair share of action, based on the damage to the guard. I have seen many damaged in this very way, and the damage is consistent with a horse falling onto the saber itself while its in the saddle. This means, more than likely, the soldier carrying this weapon had at least one horse shot out from under him. That’s pretty gnarly! Another notable thing about the guard is the upward bend on the back side of this. This very common on cavalry sabers, and just as frequently overlooked. Often called the “trooper bend”, this was deliberately done by the soldier to allow his thumb to push against the underside of the guard, giving him more control over the weapon while in use. The blade itself has a beautiful dark-grey patina along the entire length, and suffers no major dings to the cutting edge. The markings on the blade are worn, but still Legible. These markings include the manufacturer on one side and the date (1864), along with “US” and “C.E.W” on the other side. The “C.E.W.” is the inspector stamp, who in this case was Charles E. Willits, who inspected weapons for the US military during the duration of the American Civil War. The scabbard has a more chocolate-brown patina, and has no major bends or dings in it. the Sword comes in and out of the scabbard with no issues. The inspector marks on the guard are still very visible. The majority of the leather grip is still intact, with the wood handle showing through in a few spots. Overall, the sword shows typical wear from being carried through a campaign or two. This would be a great sword for a federal Cavalry display, and would look great displayed with a Federal Cavalry buckle! — $895

US Model 1816 bayonet. The flat part of the underside of the blade features a “JN” stamp with a diamond. This mark is typically attributed to an Official US Armory inspector known as John Newbury. He contracted and inspected armory components from manufacturers such as Springfield, R. Johnson, Pomeroy, and Starr from around 1817 - 1826, which would date this bayonet to somewhere within that time period. — $150