Help requested to identify a saber

[John McDaniel]

Hi guys,
I'm hoping someone here can help me out. I picked up a saber at a swap meet of all places. It looks like an ACW era saber to me. I've got some experience as a renaissance era reenactor, including saber dueling. The blade looks combat grade to me but I'm not sure. The saber did not have a pommel or leather/wire wrapped handle. I removed the wooden handle. You can see a previous owner burned some runes into the handle. I have not found any markings on the blade, guard, or scabbard, excepting the twin star emblem on the guard. I'm assuming it's a copy but it has a lot of rust and wear on the blade and scabbard. The blade is 32 inches long, with overall length of about 37.5 inches. The width of the blade is about 1.25 inches. The black wired handle and pommel I bought on line to try to repair the handle but both were too large and just don't fit the look of the saber. I apologize for the quality of the photos. My phone camera sux. This lead me to ask the following questions:
1. Can the saber be identified as authentic or copy?
2. What type of saber is it?
3. Can the handle be repaired economically? Parts available?
4. Should the saber be refinished and sharpened, or left in current condition?
Thanks in advance for your help.
John

 

[bobinwmass]

I'm afraid I can only offer a little input. The hilt is in the style of the British Pattern 1827 sword. Many thousands of that pattern were made in Germany
and imported for use prior to and during the War, but most had a US and eagle design in the hilt. Your sword is missing the back strap and pommel cap, and has more curved blade than those imports typically do. The trumpet style throat on the scabbard would be correct for that type sword. That wooden handle is not original and was a previous owner's attempt to put a sword together. Given that I have not seen that design in the handle on any ACW sword, and the makers likely were producing swords for other entities than the United States, I don't think it is an ACW sword.

 

[bobinwmass]

Here is a photo of the hilt as commonly imported.

 

[John McDaniel]

Here is a photo of the hilt as commonly imported.

View attachment 360286

Thank you for your reply. It was helpful. The hilt on your example does have a lot of similarities to mine. My blade does not have any etching on it so I'm assuming mass production. Even if it's just a copy I think 'm going to try to have the handle repaired to be historically accurate and aged if possible to match the rest of the saber.