Swords

[abelec]

Good morning
I'm new to the site. Looking forward to good banter. My initial post deals with a Confederate cavalry sword found at a thrift store. I'm an old cavalry man myself. Served from 92 to 12. Germany, Stewart, scarng etc.
Hoping to find out the authenticity of found sword. It's stamped Georgia Armory 1862. Scabbard looks original too. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

[JOHN42768]

Welcome, enjoy

 

[Seduzal]

Welcome to CWT from the Smoky Mountain side of North Carolina. Just jump right in and enjoy. To get a better overview of these form s you can look here: https://civilwartalk.com/forums/
Thank you for your service.

 

[gjpratt]

Unfortunately, it is a fairly well known fake/fantasy piece.

 

[JackADriscoll]

Unfortunately, it is a fairly well known fake/fantasy piece.

Do you think this was made to fool or do they all looked aged like that?

 

[gjpratt]

Do you think this was made to fool or do they all looked aged like that?

Yes and yes.

 

[gjpratt]

@abelec Don't let this discourage you! You are in good company. I dare say that almost everyone on this board has had the same experience at one time or another. I know I have -- more than one and costly, too. Just chalk it up to experience and move on.

Now to pass along age-old advice that is certainly not original to me. Your first investment should be reference books. The reason we can say this is a fantasy piece is that there is not anything that even remotely resembles the style of your sword in the standard reference books on Confederate swords. (That is far from the only reason this sword is not genuine).

 

[abelec]

Not at all. My suspicion was probably a replica for reenactment. Good to know. Paid 150. Still a good piece. Thanks yall.
Scouts out!

 

[Rhea Cole]

@abelec Don't let this discourage you! You are in good company. I dare say that almost everyone on this board has had the same experience at one time or another. I know I have -- more than one and costly, too. Just chalk it up to experience and move on.

Now to pass along age-old advice that is certainly not original to me. Your first investment should be reference books. The reason we can say this is a fantasy piece is that there is not anything that even remotely resembles the style of your sword in the standard reference books on Confederate swords. (That is far from the only reason this sword is not genuine).

A local appraiser recently told me that he hasn't seen an authentic CSA relic purchased anywhere but from a reputable dealer in over ten years.

 

[TLHS]

Good afternoon Abelec. Thank you for your service. I have nothing to add to others view of your sabre, other than the piece was deliberately made to deceive. If you can return it as a fake, it would be best. I, and I'm sure others here, would stand with you to talk with the seller. Consider it part of your collecting education.

 

[UCVRelics]

Welcome From THE Heart Of Dixie. Looks like were have tracked some of the same tank trails. I was a US Army tanker in Germany and was stationed at Ft Stewart with the 24th Mec Inf when Desert Storm broke out. As stated above its a FAKE.

 

[abelec]

Good afternoon Abelec. Thank you for your service. I have nothing to add to others view of your sabre, other than the piece was deliberately made to deceive. If you can return it as a fake, it would be best. I, and I'm sure others here, would stand with you to talk with the seller. Consider it part of your collecting education.

Good afternoon Abelec. Thank you for your service. I have nothing to add to others view of your sabre, other than the piece was deliberately made to deceive. If you can return it as a fake, it would be best. I, and I'm sure others here, would stand with you to talk with the seller. Consider it part of your collecting education.

Well, it was found at a thrift store in Tennessee. What I'm gonna do is buff it up, get that brass nice and brassy then either keep it or sell it as a replica. Didn't pay that much for it. As a cavalry man I was intrigued and excited just to have a cavalry sword. Even if it's a replica. Thanks for the update

 

[abelec]

Welcome From THE Heart Of Dixie. Looks like were have tracked some of the same tank trails. I was a US Army tanker in Germany and was stationed at Ft Stewart with the 24th Mec Inf when Desert Storm broke out. As stated above its a FAKE.

Scouts Out brother. C trp 1/1 cav 1st Arm Buedengen GE. Was in Stewart for both 24th and 3rd transition. Hua.

 

[JackADriscoll]

Well, it was found at a thrift store in Tennessee. What I'm gonna do is buff it up, get that brass nice and brassy then either keep it or sell it as a replica. Didn't pay that much for it. As a cavalry man I was intrigued and excited just to have a cavalry sword. Even if it's a replica. Thanks for the update

I'd keep it. It's a nice display sword and the price was right

 

[Spathologist]

Div Cav is Not Cav....just sayin'...

 

[UCVRelics]

Div Cav is Not Cav....just sayin'...

View attachment 507224

Oh NO the Pro-Pellar Heads.

 

[R. Porter]

If you can get your money back, then go for it. A thrift store may not refund your payment. There was somebody there who set the price. Either they believed it was real and didn't have a clue what it was or what it was worth or they knew what it was and priced it a bit high. Maybe they were the one who stamped the bogus info on the blade.

If the thrift store actually puts back into the community, like raising funds for charity or provide jobs for locals or the needy, and I mean really puts back in, not give 5% to an organization just to use their name and avoid taxes; then hold onto the sword. I wouldn't change it. You have an excellent example of a fake. The distinctive pommel, the info stamped on the blade 1 character at a time, even the scabbard with its distinctive throat that looks influenced by the British. These are all things you won't see on a genuine Civil War period cavalry saber.

You should get reference books, but it wouldn't hurt to look at some of the websites of companies that sell reproduction swords as reproductions. You won't see reproduction swords in reference books (mostly, I think there are at least one or two that do show them.) seeing reproductions will help keep you from thinking a fake is a rare variation because you haven't seen one before.

Years down the road you can pick up your fake sword and see how much you have learned and how far you have come. Then you'll wonder how you could ever have been fooled into believing it was real as you explain to someone else what makes it a fake.

 

[bayonet]

Many Dealer websites have detailed FAKE pages and I think that one is displayed on Arizona Swords website www.azswords.com.
If you want (real not repro) CSA swords get ready to pay a Kings ransom for them. So happy my ancestors fought for the Union, their Swords are 4 to 6 or more times less expensive

 

[Rhea Cole]

I'd keep it. It's a nice display sword and the price was right

There is always the ten foot rule. If you can't tell the difference from ten feet away, just hang it on the wall.

For display purposes, there are some excellent reproductions on the market. I was surprised to learn that a late friend's large coin collection contained very high quality reproductions. They weren't fakes, all are clearly marked. It is something serious collectors use to complete sets for display purposes.

 

[gjpratt]

Many Dealer websites have detailed FAKE pages and I think that one is displayed on Arizona Swords website www.azswords.com.
If you want (real not repro) CSA swords get ready to pay a Kings ransom for them. So happy my ancestors fought for the Union, their Swords are 4 to 6 or more times less expensive

ARIZONA SWORDS