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LOT 3157
Exceptional N.P. Ames Militia
Officer’s Sword with Scabbard
- Measuring 37 3/4 inches in
overall length, with a 31 1/8 inch
straight single fuller blade that is decorated with etched leafy scroll and patriotic designs. The hilt is
gilt finished with six-pointed star designs on the guard, a chain knuckle guard, knight’s helm pommel and a pair of smooth pearl grip panels. The scabbard is finely browned steel with sculpted drag and suspension bands and a gilt panel marked “N.P. AMES/MAKER/CABOTVILLE/MASS.” on the rear.
CONDITION: Excellent. Some light spotting is present on the otherwise excellent blade, along with some very strong etching. The gilt finish on the hilt and scabbard fittings is 70% intact, with some minor play in the hilt. The scabbard shows 85% plus original brown with mild spotting.
Estimate: 3,000 - 4,500
LOT 3156
Presentation Grade Schuyler,
Hartley & Graham/W. Clauberg Staff & Field Officer Style Sword with Scabbard Inscribed to a Civil War Captain E. A. Robinson from the Crew of the U.S.S. Wilderness in 1864 - Manufactured by W. Clauberg of Solingen and sold by Schuyler, Hartley & Graham of New York, this sword measures 35 inches overall, with a 29 3/8 inch double fuller blade with etched patriotic decoration on both sides and “IRON PROOF” on the spine. The guard and pommel are cast brass, with cut-through scroll/”USN” designs on the guard and a laurel wreath on the pommel. The grip is wire wrapped. Includes a leather scabbard, fitted with brass furniture and inscribed “Presented To/Capt E.A. Robinson/from the crew/U.S.S. Wilderness,/1864” on the throat. No information has been found on Captain E. A. Robinson at this time. The U.S.S. Wilderness (previously the B. N. Creary) was commissioned on July 20th, 1864 and assigned to the 2nd Division of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron under the Union Army. By late October, the ship was armed with four 24-pounders, and on October 31, 1864, had its first bit of action off of New Inlet, North Carolina where it chased down and captured the British blockade-runner Annie, firing its cannons the whole way in pursuit. While loading the prisoners from Annie and all of its valuables, the Confederates at nearby Fort Fisher opened fire on the Wilderness and damaged the rim of the gunboat’s port wheel. After being repaired, the Wilderness would later take part in the first attempt to capture Fort Fisher. On December 23rd, 1864, the Wilderness towed the steamer Louisiana, which was stripped and filled with explosives, close to the walls of Fort Fisher, where a fire was lit on the Louisiana and men escaped in small boats to the Wilderness before the explosion, which would only cause a large shock wave. The next few days, while the Union soldiers attacked the fort, the Wilderness took on board the wounded and the bodies of the sailors who had been killed on the U.S.S. Ticonderoga and U.S.S. Juniata. CONDITION: Very fine, exceptional blade retains attractive original bright polish with some patches of minor pitting, defined etchings, brass retains an attractive golden aged patina, crisp inscription, and the leather has some light cracking from age. Estimate: 3,000 - 4,500
LOT 3158
Klingenthal Production American Officer’s Sword with Scabbard - Established in 1733 by Louis XV, the Manufacture d’Armes
Blanches d’Alsace, later the Manufacture de Klingenthal, was a state sword maker, intended to cut down on the number of imports from Solingen. Operated with a civilian general manager to handle supplies and payroll, most of the actual production and quality control was run by the Artillery Corps. In 1836, when the Government decided to move sword production to Chatellerault for security reasons, the firm was bought out by the Coulaux family, who were managing the plant until then. Measuring 42 1/4 inches overall, with a 36 1/2 inch slightly
curved double fuller blade, decorated on each side with martial and floral themed etched panels, and stamped “crown/B” and “crown/S” on the right ricasso. Brass hilt, with a deeply engraved and cut-through scene of an American Eagle backed by a stand of flags on the guard, “(3 stars)/E.L.” stamped next to the rear quillion, raised floral and laurel vine patterns, deeply cut oak leaves on the helmet pommel and a grotesque face on the rear. With a wire wrapped rayskin grip and an iron scabbard with brass fittings, marked “6” on the throat, drag and hanging rings, and decorated with finely cut oak leaves on the suspension bands. CONDITION: Very fine, with mild spotting and handling marks on the blade and a fine aged patina on the brass. The scabbard shows 70% of the original blue finish, with a smooth brown and gray patina on the remainder and some light spotting. Estimate: 2,750 - 4,000
LOT 3159
Scarce Hoard’s Armory Freeman Army Model
Percussion Revolver - Serial no. 419, 44 cal., 7 1/2 inch round
bbl., blue finish, walnut grips. Approximately 2,000 of these scarce Austin T. Freeman
patent revolvers were manufactured by Hoard’s Armory in Watertown, New York c. 1863-1864.
The design looks like a cross between the Remington and Starr revolvers. The Freeman Army Model was
a robustly designed and finely finished revolver. These revolvers have an interesting method of securing
and removing the cylinder: a small switch on the right side that when pressed forward allows the cylinder
and pin to fall out to the right. None are known to have been purchased by the Federal Government. However, some
may have been purchased and issued by state governments, and others were likely purchased privately. It is equipped
with a small rounded blade front sight, frame groove rear sight, and smooth walnut grips. “FREEMAN’S PAT DECR 9.
1862” marked on top of the right side of the frame sight groove and “HOARD’S ARMORY, WATERTOWN, N.Y.” on top of
the left side of the groove. The matching serial number is marked on the bottom of the barrel, loading lever, frame, cylinder pin, rear face of the cylinder, right side of the grip frame, and handwritten on the underside of the grips. Surviving examples of this limited production Civil War revolver are scarce in any condition.
CONDITION: Fine, retains 40% plus original blue finish with a mix of brown and gray patina on the balance with some patches of light surface oxidation. Grips are also fine with some light handling marks and a few light scratches. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 2,750 - 4,250
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THE U.S.S. WILDERNESS WAS PART OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC BLOCKADING SQUADRON