Métodos de síntesis

704 Militia Officer’s Sword with Scabbard, ca 1830

30” blade length with blue finish and gilt designs from languet to middle of the blade. Marking on blade “Warranted.” Grips are made of bone. Brass cross guard, knuckle bow, languet, and back strap. Complete with brass scabbard that has 2 brass carrying rings. Remnants of sword hanger still retained on the carrying rings. Blade does show minor pitting. The pitting blends well for an even look with the blue finish. Gilt designs are sharp. Brass furniture has a mustard patina. Bone grips have a yellowing patina. The scabbard shows wear and has nicks, dings and scratches. The scabbard has an even mustard patina. Overall condition is good.

From the Estate of Kenneth Erwin, Portland, Michigan

$800 - $1,200

Mexican War — Swords & Edged Weapons

706 U.S. Militia Mounted Officer’s Sabre

33” blade length, 37” overall length. A reverse P guard with languets having relief acorns. Ribbed ivory grip. There is no scabbard. The blade has fire-blue, gilt and white etchings over 2/3 of the length. Two panoplies of arms, with one includes cannon and an eagle with a ribbon with “E Pluribus Unum.” It retains 70% soft high fire blue and gilt. Crossguard, back strap and knuckle bow retain 90% of gilt finish. Ivory grips are in fine condition.

$800 - $1,200

708 U.S. Militia Artillery Sword

31.5” blade, 36” overall length. Eagle head brass pommel and hilt with regulation black bone grip. The ricasso is marked “a-Soligen” on the obverse and “C.v Keller” on the reverse. The brass scabbard has a very nice and original applied patina finish and two carrying rings. The hilt has the same finish. The blade has 35% of blue and gilt but dulling. The brass scabbard has one small dent.

$800 - $1,200

707 U.S. Militia Infantry Sword

31” blade length, 37” overall length. Blade engraved with panoply of arms, finished with blue and gilt. “Indian princess” pommel with fancy guard and eagles on the languets. Pearl grip panels with gilt brass wire wrapping. Metal scabbard with chased floral designs. Two carrying rings on scabbard. 85% of fire blue and gilt on the blade and 90% of the silver wash on the hilt. Pearl grip panels are fine. Some minor pitting on the last 6” of the blade tip. The engraved scabbard has one small dent and has approximately 30% of the silver wash.

$1,200 - $1,700

Mexican War — Swords & Edged Weapons

709 U.S. Militia Infantry Officer’s Presentation Sword

A fine example by N.P. Ames of the popular antebellum militia pattern sword having a 31” spear point blade with bright floral etchings and star with a center fuller. Brass gold gilt knight’s head pommel; bone handle with gold gilded brass crossguard. Brass scabbard inscribed: Presented to Geo McGrath by the Irving Guards as their 1st Prize by Mr. James Irving Oct. 20th, 1853 between the two carrying rings.

The Irving Guards were a New York City volunteer fire company headquartered in “Brooklyn City.” The company was originally organized in January 1849 as the Washington Irving Hose Company No. 44. At the time is was common for the city’s volunteer fire companies to maintain a “guard” group of select members for para-military drill competitions and target excursions which were widely popular according to A.E. Costello’s 1887 book Our Firemen (a copy accompanies the sword).

The “guard” groups were organized by the fire companies themselves and were not considered part of the city or state militia system. In fact, they were not military at all. The Irving Guard was remembered as “a fine body of men, and annually used to make quite a presentable turnout. They went on their first annual target excursion to Tarrytown, N.Y. on Thanksgiving Day (1849). This was the place of abode of our country’s gifted author Washington Irving, in whose honor the company was named. The company maintained a personal relationship with Irving during the early 1850s.

In 1852 the Irving Guards competed in the annual excursion held at Poughkeepsie. A New York Times article dated November 19, 1852 announced: On Thanksgiving Day the 25th instant, the

“Irving Guard” will make the annual target excursion and will proceed on this occasion to East New York, and will be accompanied by the National Band, and commanded by Captain Simpson.

At the time they were quartered in the engine house on 34th St., west of 7th Ave. in the 11th Ward. George McGrath was the recipient of this fine militia pattern sword as the winner of the 1853 target excursion. In 1854 Hose Company No. 44 was disbanded “for misconduct” and the Irving Guards ceased to exist. George McGrath and some other former members re-organized as Volunteer Engine Co. No. 51 taking Engine 30’s old house on 22nd St. between 1st and 2nd Ave. McGrath became Assistant Engineer of Engine Co. No. 51 in December 1854.

The Ames militia sword represents an outstanding inscribed artifact reflecting New York City’s venerable Fire Department. The brass hilt retains 20% of its gilt. The brass scabbard has two small dents and has a dark untouched patina.

$1,500 - $2,500

710 Mounted Infantry Officer’s Sword with the Standish Barry Eagle Pommel

30.25” curved blade, with etched panels of military motifs blued and gilt. Also marked Honor And My Country on the blade. Leather and silver wire wrapped handle. Silver eagle pommel, silver guard and silver crossguard. Leather scabbard with silver throat bands and tip. Ca 1800-1810. Blade retains most of the beautiful fire blue finish with some just lightly fading toward the crossguard. The motifs still retain most of the gilt finish. The rest of the blade has nice sharp line with some brown patina stains blending in. Handle is excellent. Silver has been cleaned. Leather scabbard is excellent.

$1,500 - $2,500