The sword has a 33 inch, lightly curved blade with floral, classical martial, and patriotic etching with a gilt finish and some contrasting bright designs, "IRON PROOF" on the spine, "W.H. HORSTMANN./& SONS/PHILADELPHIA" etched on the obverse ricasso, "CLAUBERG/SOLINGEN" and the knight maker's mark on the reverse ricasso, an ornate gilt brass hilt with mostly cast floral and eagle and shield designs, a Great Seal of the United States themed engraved silvered German silver grip, and iron scabbard with gilt brass fittings, inset vignettes of an eagle and shield and Columbia in the suspension bands, an inset vignette of Justice on the drag, and "Presented to/Capt. PH Jacobus, Co E 2nd Regt P.S.N.G./by the Members of his Command/as a token of Regard and Esteem/Decer 10th 1872." inscribed on the reverse side of the upper suspension band. Peter Henry Jacobus served in the Pennsylvania National Guard from 1857 through 1895. When the Civil War broke out, he first joined the 3 month 19th Pennsylvania Regiment in Company E as a first sergeant and then the 90th Pennsylvania as a captain. He was wounded in his right leg at the Second Battle of Bull Run on August 30, 1862, and was discharged due to disability in April 1863. In 1867, he rejoined the 2nd Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard and remained its captain until he retired. At the time of his retirement, he was senior captain in the whole of the Pennsylvania National Guard. He died in 1906. His obituary in The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that he was born in Germany and came to the U.S. as a young boy. In addition to his military service, he was on 3rd Street above Chestnut for around 40 years. He was a die sinker and engraver in Philadelphia in the partnership in Jacobus & Schell c. 1856-59 with John J. Schell and then on his own. His younger brother Philip was also an engraver. Among Captain Jacobus's known engraving works are George Washington commemorative calender medals with examples contained in the collections of Mt. Vernon and the Yale University Art Gallery as well as a Ulysses S. Grant campaign medal also in the latter's collection.

Fine with bright tip section of the blade, distinct etching, the vast majority of the aged gilt finish on the very fine blade, complete red washer, mix of original gilt finish and aged patina on the hilt and scabbard fittings, aged patina on the grip and vignettes, mottled gray and brown patina on the scabbard body, and general mild overall wear. This is a very attractive sword inscribed to a Pennsylvania National Guard captain who served for over three decades.