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LOT 1155
Extremely Rare Ames Model 1840 Light Artillery Officers Saber - , gilded/
bright finish. 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”. CONDITION: Fine. The hilt retains 40% of the heavy gilded finish in protected areas. The balance of the brass hilt has a very attractive, untouched, patina. The cast embellishments are crisp. Both the leather grip wrap and twisted brass wire are original. The leather grip cover is also fine and the twisted brass wire is tight. The original leather washer remains intact. The blade is bright and remains in very good overall condition with moderate service wear and light age texture at the tip. The etched decoration, dry needle point engraving and Ames address are strong. The professionally restored iron scabbard is in fine condition with an attractive, deep brown patina. The scabbard has only one very sallow dent near the drag. This is a rare and very desirable U.S. Army Ames Model 1840 light artillery officers saber that would be a stand-out piece in any advanced collection of U.S. martial arms or edged weapons and is rarely offered for sale in any condition. This is the first U.S. Model 1840 artillery officers saber offered for sale by Rock Island Auction Company. Estimate: 10,000 - 15,000
LOT 1156
Documented U.S. Springfield Model 1855 Percussion Pistol-Carbine Dated 1855 with Shoulder Stock - NSN, 54 cal., 12 inch round bbl., bright finish, walnut stock. Springfield Armory manufactured 4,021 of these distinctive, dual-purpose weapons in 1855-1857. Springfield Model 1855 pistol carbines are described on pages 273-277 of George D. Moller’s book “American Military Shoulder Arms, Volume III”, with this exact carbine photographed on page 274. They are one of only three handguns manufactured at Springfield, with intent to provide the U.S. Cavalry and dragoon regiments with weapons that could be used as carbines for dismounted action and as pistols for use on horseback. The results were less than satisfactory, and they were also already rather outdated from their inception given Colt’s Dragoon series which could also mount shoulder stocks but offered more shots and functioned better as handguns. Nonetheless, they are known to have been used into the Civil War, including by Confederate forces. This example is dated “1855” on the lock and barrel tang, and has standard markings and features. The rear of the pommel cap is marked “10” (faint). “GDM” (George D. Moller) collection initials marked at the lower left of the grip above the pommel cap. Includes leather sling, and shoulder stock marked “12” on the underside of the joint piece and “US” on the buttplate tang. CONDITION: Fine, retaining mostly bright surfaces with some light brown freckling, light pitting on the hammer, and sharp markings in the metal. Brass fittings retain a pleasing original patina. Wood is very good as lightly sanded and revarnished with some light dents. Shoulder stock is also fine with some light dents. Mechanically fine. Provenance: The George Moller Collection. Estimate: 4,000 - 6,000
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AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK AMERICAN MILITARY SHOULDER ARMS VOL. III BY MOLLER