1860 Dated French Naval Cutlass

[tokashikibop]

Gents, Picked up this Cutlass and saw the 1860 date on it. Where any of this type of weapon imported for ACW?
Best regards,
Bob

 

[James N.]

I forget the model date for these but they're obviously what our M.1860 made by the Ames Mfg. Co. of Chicopee, Mass. was patterned after. I doubt that any exactly like this were imported because this was manufactured in the French armory at Chatellerault expressly for the French government, and since they were regulation at the time would've all gone to the French Navy. Any possible imports would likely have been copies made by swordmakers of Solingen in what would soon become Germany.

 

[Patrick H]

Wicked looking thing, isn't it? I don't think I'd want to be part of any boarding parties back in that era.

 

[Glen_C]

The Ames designation was the m1861 and actually significantly different in construction from the French mle1833 and mle1801
http://www.thepirateslair.com/9-antique-french-naval-cutlass.html

Chatellerault was the designated military fabricator for France and it may be unlikely an 1860 dated cutlass was exported during the ACW. Coulax&Klingenthal marked blades do show up on US imported officer swords. They sold blades and some entire pieces but by and large were assembled by others. The m1860 staff officer swords and the foot officer sabers the two most commonly found.

Surplus French swords, no doubt found some use during the war but are often touted as ACW used with no proper provenance.

Cheers
GC