This sword's scabbard is inscribed "Presented to Brig Gen Alex Chambers/By the Officers of the 16th Regt Iowa Vet. Vol. Infy./March 31, 1864." Alexander Chambers (1832-1888) was a career military officer born in New York who graduated from West Point in 1853 with John Schofield and Philip Sheridan. He served in New York, Florida in the Seminole War, Utah, and the Southwest before the Civil War. At the beginning of the Civil War, he was assigned to muster troops in Iowa. He was quickly promoted to captain and was promoted to colonel in March 1862 with the 16th Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded twice while commanding the 16th at the Battle of Shiloh and the Battle of Iuka. One contemporary report indicates he suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the shoulder and neck and was captured and left behind at the hospital in Iuka. He returned to lead a brigade during the Vicksburg Campaign, and in August of 1863, he was promoted to brigadier general and placed in command of a division within the XVII Corps. The Senate revoked that promotion in April 1864. After the war, he was nominated by President Johnson and approved by the Senate to brevet brigadier general post-dated to March 13, 1865, for gallantry at the Battle of Champion's Hill. He served initially as a captain in the Army in the post-war era, but rose back up to the rank of colonel. His post-war career included posts in multiple parts of the country including the West as well as a stint in the Ottoman Empire as part of a military attache in 1877-1878. This beautiful sword was presented to him by men of one of the units he mustered into service at the beginning of the war at Camp McClellan near Davenport, Iowa, and bled alongside in battle. March 31, 1864, coincides with a period of veteran furlough for the men of the unit and Chambers. According to the Daily Democrat and News (Davenport, Iowa) on March 25, 1864, Chambers and the 16th arrived in Davenport from Cairo on March 24th. They set out again from Davenport, Iowa, on May 3rd. The sword was likely presented to Chambers just miles from our facilities and is one of the finest martial swords crafted by Tiffany & Co. This pattern appears in Tiffany & Co.'s pattern book and other presentation examples appear on page 32 of "American Presentation Swords" by Jay P. Altmayer (presented to Major General John C. Robinson) and pages 522-523 in "Civil War Army Swords" by John Thillmann (presented to Major Leman W. Bradley). Less than a handful of these swords are known. It has a golden bald eagle perched on a cannon ball as the pommel, a ribbon in the eagle's beak extends to the knuckle guard which a has a silver gorgon/Medusa face medallion and attractive sculpting even on the inside edge. The grip is a silver Model 1841 style cannon with a vine wrapped around it and is complete with a vent and trunnions. The base of the hilt has four additional cannon balls, and the languet is angled outward and has banners and a Columbian shield with thirteen stars for the original states. The 30 3/4 inch blade is richly etched with scrollwork, mythical images, and patriotic motifs. The left side has "TIFFANY/& CO./NEW YORK" in small letters inside one of the elements and a Collins & Co. maker's mark and appears to have an 1862 or 1863 date. The scabbard has a Tiffany & Co. maker's mark on top, stars and bound arrows at the suspension rings, and another nicely detailed set of cannons and floral designs on the drag.

Fine overall with generally bright blade with scattered small areas of patination and minor pitting. The etched panels remain deeply etched and legible and remain mostly bright. The Collins marking is faint, but the remaining designs and markings throughout are crisp. The silver grip and accent display attractive aged patina. The scabbard body has light aging and remains mostly bright color and has some minor scratches and handling/storage type marks. There are traces of original gold wash in protected areas. The hilt retain a nice mix of original gilding and mellow mustard yellow patina. There is a discrete repaired crack in knucklebow at the bottom juncture. Both of the sword washers remain. This is a very rare chance to acquire both one of the rarest and more impressive sword patterns of the Civil War era and a true piece of history.