Our Price: sold

Excellent US Model 1850 Officers Presentation Sword With Gold Blade. Tomes, Son and Melvain, New York, marked presentation sword with Clauberg marked blade. Hilt cast with 1850 style pommel but very openwork floral in the counterguard. Impressive grip cast in a silver imitation of sharkskin with triple wire binding in place.

Obverse blade etched with dealer address at ricasso, stand of arms and foliate scrolls with large script motto: "Pro Virtute Bellica" ("for military virtue.") Etching is detailed with drypoint and given a gold wash background. Back of blade gold wash etching with vine and "Iron Proof." Reverse with Clauberg stamped trademark at ricasso, highlight in gold washed panel. Overhead a stand of arms and flags with arc of stars above and single star at center of arc. American eagle above, trophy of arms with axes, fasces and shield, foliate entwined script "U.S." and foliate panel at top. Drypoint detailed and gold washed.

31 7/8 inch Blade above is bright and smooth with small section of brown freckling near tip. Scabbard is bright steel with open work floral brass mounts. Upper mount with oval panel inscribed:

"Presented to / Col R.B. Cranford / 8th Conn. N.G. / by the officers of his Regt. / 1865"

Excellent condition. Hilt and brass elements polished bright. Scabbard bright steel. Nicely detailed grip. Small bit of freckling near blade tip. One very shallow dent to scabbard obverse below middle mount. Slight stain lower edge obverse between mounts. A very good looking presentation sword.

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