Edged Wpns Help identifying a sword

reese27k

Cadet
Joined
Oct 15, 2019
Hello everyone! This is my first post. I have this sword and I was hoping someone might be able to help me with some information on it. The only marking I can find anywhere is a small FH in a circle of dots. From what I found online it stands for F Horster but I can't find much more than that. Can anyone tell me anything more about it. Thanks in advance!

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Welcome From THE Heart Of Dixie. What you have is a model 1840 (wrist breaker) cavalry sword and the "FH" makers mark identifies it as being made by Friedrich Horster of Solingen, Prussia. Many of these were imported during the CW.
 
Welcome! Thanks for sharing photos of your saber! Looking forward to your perspective in our discussions! Enjoy!
 
Welcome to the forums from the host of the Stonewall Jackson Forum!
 
Thank you so much! I appreciate the info.
Welcome From THE Heart Of Dixie. What you have is a model 1840 (wrist breaker) cavalry sword and the "FH" makers mark identifies it as being made by Friedrich Horster of Solingen, Prussia. Many of these were imported during the CW.
 
Welcome aboard

Fredrich Horster

There were generations of Horster sword into the 20th century (from Old Swords)
Germany Solingen Horster, Fredrich the Elder 1800 1850
Germany Solingen Horster, Fredrich the Younger 1825 1875
Germany Solingen Horster, E & F & Company 1850 1974

So your sword likely of the younger/son's era. Yes, many were around during the ACW but a pattern lasting for decades before and decades after. Many tens of thousands of German swords were imported to fulfill federal contracts. Without a solid provenance, all we have is the maker's mark and a truth that is is of the type imported and used during the ACW but we must underline of the type.

Cheers
GC
 
Thank you so much! I appreciate the info.
… So your sword likely of the younger/son's era. Yes, many were around during the ACW but a pattern lasting for decades before and decades after. Many tens of thousands of German swords were imported to fulfill federal contracts. Without a solid provenance, all we have is the maker's mark and a truth that is is of the type imported and used during the ACW but we must underline of the type.

Cheers
GC
Reese, you're being cautioned because this style was originally adopted by the French as their Mlle. 1822 Sabre Pour Cavalrie Legere and was subsequently copied and sold to many other countries by Horster and all the other Solingen swordsmiths. In the U.S. the Ames Sword Company of Chicopee, Mass. copied it directly as our M. 1840. Lacking any provenance as to its actual use and service, it can only be considered as being of the type that was imported for use in our Civil War.
 
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