Looking for thoughts on this sword and blade etching

[CDGillum]

Hello. I'm not sure how much you can tell from photos, but would appreciate any insight you might have. I'd like your thoughts if it is authentic. I am no expert but the sword seems OK to me but I don't know about the etching. Thanks.

 

[UCVRelics]

I agree on the etching it does look VERY suspect as the fonts and designs are not what you normally see. The sword has a stopped fuller and MOST CS sword had an unstopped fuller.

 

[gjpratt]

The quality of the hilt does not match the pristine quality of the etching. And I agree with @UCVRelics on the fonts. The style and pattern of the etching does not resemble any other etchers of Confederate blades that I am aware of.

Does the scabbard have a visible soldered seam?

@TLHS ?

 

[Patrick H]

I know next to nothing about these old swords and sabers. I was hoping you'd get some immediate encouraging responses, because the shape and visual lightness of your saber are so elegant. But I'll also say that my immediate reaction to the etching was that it looked very amateurish. Would a veteran have etched his own design into his blade after the war? Who can say for sure? It seems very unlikely, but I might have tried it on one of my own keepsakes in my youth. I attempted a lot of "artistic" things in my youth that most would have considered improbable. I suppose it could happen in any era, on any keepsake. I'll be watching for more responses.

 

[bobinwmass]

In his book on Cavalry and Artillery Sabers, Thillmann does discuss the J.B.A. marked sabers. Apparently they are not common, and they are thought to be American made. Some collectors feel they may have been made by Ames or Emerson and Silver, due to similarities with them. But I would agree with the above, you have an authentic enlisted man's cavalry saber that someone much later had the blade etched with Confederate motifs.

 

[CDGillum]

The quality of the hilt does not match the pristine quality of the etching. And I agree with @UCVRelics on the fonts. The style and pattern of the etching does not resemble any other etchers of Confederate blades that I am aware of.

Does the scabbard have a visible soldered seam?

@TLHS ?

Thank you. I let you know on the soldered seam when I have it in hand.

 

[CDGillum]

I agree on the etching it does look VERY suspect as the fonts and designs are not what you normally see. The sword has a stopped fuller and MOST CS sword had an unstopped fuller.

Thank you.

 

[CDGillum]

In his book on Cavalry and Artillery Sabers, Thillmann does discuss the J.B.A. marked sabers. Apparently they are not common, and they are thought to be American made. Some collectors feel they may have been made by Ames or Emerson and Silver, due to similarities with them. But I would agree with the above, you have an authentic enlisted man's cavalry saber that someone much later had the blade etched with Confederate motifs.

Thank you!

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

saber that someone much later had the blade etched with Confederate motifs

This - this is modern, acid steel etching. Sadly this is a pimped out sword now made worthless by trying to make it into what it isn't. There are many videos on how to do this. And you can buy a retail, military sword like this for $55.00. Of course it will come from Pakistan or some such country for a wall-hanger. The only possible way to salvage this sword is the etching has to be buffed out and that is way above my pay grade on how that would be done without destroying it. And that's only if the handgrip IS genuine. @johan_steele any ideas on this sad thing?

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

I can't even make up my mind if the handgrip is real - maybe only the brass parts?

 

[Cornpone and Molasses]

If those inspector initials are legit someone ruined a nice cavalry saber.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

I'm definitely NOT an expert but I am learning from the best. It is VERY common now for a lot of these forgers to take a very few real parts of Civil War stuff and mix/merge them with fake parts. They are currently doing this with kepis and uniforms ALL the time now and badges and shoulder boards, sometimes with buttons faked. We have REAL experts on here that can talk about this. That's why I'm wondering if the handgrip is even real. Having a real Ames and looking at lots of others it does not look like sharkskin to me or it could be exceptionally worn but something just looks really off to me.

I went to look at a couple of web sites searching on steel etched Civil War swords and I'm not kidding when I'm saying $55.00 can buy you an almost identical one.

 

[Cornpone and Molasses]

I'm definitely NOT an expert but I am learning from the best. It is VERY common now for a lot of these forgers to take a very few real parts of Civil War stuff and mix/merge them with fake parts. They are currently doing this with kepis and uniforms ALL the time now and badges and shoulder boards, sometimes with buttons faked. We have REAL experts on here that can talk about this. That's why I'm wondering if the handgrip is even real. Having a real Ames and looking at lots of others it does not look like sharkskin to me or it could be exceptionally worn but something just looks really off to me.

I went to look at a couple of web sites searching on steel etched Civil War swords and I'm not kidding when I'm saying $55.00 can buy you an almost identical one.

Looks leather wrapped to me.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

Looks leather wrapped to me.

When I enlarge the photo, that's what it looks like to me and it should be sharkskin. I'm wondering if the brass ends are real and the grip has been replaced and tarted up by buffing it to look worn.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

Hello. I'm not sure how much you can tell from photos, but would appreciate any insight you might have. I'd like your thoughts if it is authentic. I am no expert but the sword seems OK to me but I don't know about the etching. Thanks.

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Are you willing to tell us where you got this sword?

 

[Cornpone and Molasses]

When someone takes a nice military surplus firearm and tinkers around with it and modifies or makes repairs, it is sometimes referred to as Bubba'd. Looking at this saber that term comes to mind.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

I'll tell you another area of concern. The scabbard, at the end, shows zero wear which is very unusual.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

When someone takes a nice military surplus firearm and tinkers around with it and modifies or makes repairs, it is sometimes referred to as Bubba'd. Looking at this saber that term comes to mind.

I've never heard that term! Maybe being female, I call it "tarted" up!

 

[Cornpone and Molasses]

I've never heard that term! Maybe being female, I call it "tarted" up!

 

[Cornpone and Molasses]

It's hard to tell in your pictures but I think I see a dent in the lower end of the scabbard to prevent rattling of the blade when carried.