U.S. Model 1840 light artillery officers saber manufactured by the N.P. Ames Manufacturing Company of Springfield, Massachusetts c. 1843. This regulation, Type I, light artillery officers saber has a gilded brass hilt with embellished knucklebow and quillion disk and flat pommel cap with embellished laurel leaf border. The leather wrapped grip is encircled by 17 turns of twisted brass wire. The hilt has the distinctive Type I scabbard recess with leather washer. The sword has a curved, 31 5/8-inch, flat back, single fuller, blade with approximately 18-inches of etching with dry needle point highlights. The reverse of the blade is etched with the early (1832-1847) Ames address: "N.P. AMES/CUTLER/SPRINGFIELD" with rope borders above lattice-like cross hatching. The reverse of the blade above the Ames address features: a plant spray, panoply of Indian arms, foliate "U.S.", Tecumseh with raised tomahawk and foliate spray. The obverse of the blade is etched with: a floral spray, stand of arms and colors with liberty cap, eagle and shield, "E PLURIBUS/UNIUM" ribbon below stars and sunburst and foliate spray. The regulation, Type I, browned, iron scabbard, has a raw throat with thick iron mounts and rings and has no inspection marks on the drag. The light artillery officers saber was the regulation saber for officers of light artillery, mounted rifles and ordnance from 1840-1850. During this period there were approximately 36 officers assigned to the four light artillery batteries and 35 officers in the regiment of mounted riflemen. A very limited number of Model 1840 light artillery officers sabers were manufactured by Ames, Horstmann, Roby, Schuyler, Hartley & Graham and S&K. Surviving examples are very rare. N.P. Ames was the primary sword-maker for regulation U.S. Army swords prior to the Civil War; N. P. Ames Model 1840 light artillery officers sabers are among the rarest and most desirable of all U.S. Army officers swords. John H. Thillmann notes in "Civil War Cavalry & Artillery Sabers" that "...the early type I (artillery) officers' sabers are nearly nonexistent on the collector's market".