Civil War Period Sword?

[royhill]

I recently purchased this sword from an online auction. I have been collecting for almost 50 years and own quite a few US and CS swords, but haven't come across one like this. The blade is 36.2" long, 1.25" wide and is very pitted The handle is 5.5" and is solid metal. It is a 3 branch brass grip. On one of the branches are what appear to be proof marks and the number 1330. What makes me think that there might be Civil War connection is that at one time the sword was painted gold. I've read somewhere that GAR lodges used to paint swords gold. I don't think it came out of a Union or foreign factory, but maybe assembled by a blacksmith? Neither the blade or the grip are loose.

Any ideas?

 

[scooter748driver]

I've never seen a sword like that. I'm not sure, but it looks like someone pieced together some parts, but then again I could be completely wrong about that. The experts should be along soon to chime in.

 

[bobinwmass]

Too bad the pictures are blurry. Those markings on the knucklebow of the hilt could give us some clues. I know French made parts are often stamped with poincons (like B within an oval, S within a shield) so that someone with more knowledge than me could then likely date the hilt at least.

 

[bayonet]

Looks Mexican

 

[Rhea Cole]

Until you post hallmarks in focus any I D is impossible.

 

[R. Porter]

Based on what I can see, it would seem that all of you got a part of the story. The pictures are not detailed enough to conclude anything about the age or origin, however, they are suggestive enough to venture a testable hypothesis.

The form of the guard and blade could be French. The appearance of the marks on the side of the knuckle bow strongly resemble the poincoins that appear on French swords and large numbers (inventory numbers?) are also common on the knuckle bow. If the blade were not so rusted and was French you should see something written along the spine, perhaps including a date of manufacture.

The original pommel is missing and the grip has been replaced with a cylinder of metal, like pewter. I have a cavalry sword somewhere with just such a grip. I believe it is a Mexican sword.

So far, this suggests a Mexican sword made from French parts. Maybe a Mexican officer purchased a French sword? It's an enlisted man's sword with markings you might expect to see on a French military sword, so probably not bought by an officer. Was there a time when there was a French military presence in Mexico? I believe there was; during the American Civil War! A close examination of the marks on the knuckle bow might suggest if this was possible. Once the sword arrived in Mexico it had until about 1920 to be modified and rebuilt then used and perhaps dropped somewhere to rust and weather before it was found and eventually sold at auction.

My disclaimer is that this is just a hypothesis and I am not an expert. Additional information might require re-interpretation.

 

[R. Porter]

Woo-Hoo, a miracle happened! I found my sword! Now you can get some pictures of a poorer version of the same thing.

The hilt appears to be made from a brass guard and knuckle bow with lots of brass solder; a pewter grip; and a pommel made from a piece of iron pipe.

On the blade ricassos you get the typical stamps although the one with teeth doesn't show up so well.

I'm not familiar with dates on these things but I suspect these configurations tend to be late 19th or early 20th century. Closer to Pancho Villa than the ACW.

 

[bayonet]

Woo-Hoo, a miracle happened! I found my sword! Now you can get some pictures of a poorer version of the same thing.

The hilt appears to be made from a brass guard and knuckle bow with lots of brass solder; a pewter grip; and a pommel made from a piece of iron pipe.

View attachment 544741View attachment 544742View attachment 544743View attachment 544744View attachment 544745
On the blade ricassos you get the typical stamps although the one with teeth doesn't show up so well.

View attachment 544748View attachment 544746I'm not familiar with dates on these things but I suspect these configurations tend to be late 19th or early 20th century. Closer to Pancho Villa than the ACW.

Like I said Mexican, probably used to cut guacamoles

 

[royhill]

Thanks for all the responses! I hope this is a better picture of the markings. I too thought the hilt might be French, but I never thought about a Mexican connection. R Porter's sword does have a similarity in the grip. I kind of like the possibility of the Pancho Villa era. I own a Model 1911 Colt that belonged to a member of the Dixie Brigade that was sent to Texas to chase Villa.

 

[R. Porter]

The poincons are still not clear enough. The one farthest to the right appears to be an upper case H inside a circle. I cannot find this mark. However, other marks of this pattern, an upper case letter inside a circle, appear to date from the 1840's to the 1860's. So perhaps your sword blade and guard made it to Mexico during the French incursion of the early 1860's and had a working life until the 1920's.