Swords, anyone?

[Exmilcop]

I have several swords now and the two French blades clearly show the lineage to the American swords they were derived from. One is an 1845 French infantry sword which the Americans loved and copied almost exactly but the ones I've see had (in my opinion) nicer grips than the French originals. Mine is wire-wrapped horn. The second French sword is an 1822/99 cavalry saber made in Chatellerault in 1906. Again, if you put it side-by-side with the "old wristbreaker" American saber, you can see it's antecedent. I'm in the process of doing research on the last sword. I can't definitively state the country of origin, though it could be Prussia, Germany, Bavaria or who knows? It is quite old though, from the late 1700's. For it's age it's in very good shape and shows old service sharpening and remnants of the old blade engraving. The leather covered wood scabbard and frog stud is also in good shape. Lastly is the Geo.V Rifle reg't sword which I'd mentioned in a previous post.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

For fun I will post this sword cane that I have had for around 50 years.

But this will remind me to dig up the Russian sword that I have which, according to the gent who gave it to me long ago (Finnish by heritage; American by birth and a Pearl Harbor survivor), was taken from a dead Russian officer in the Russo-Finnish War of 1917-1918. I'll post as good a picture or three as I can and maybe someone will be able to tell me more about it.

 

[PALADIN85020]

I have a small collection of four swords. All four of my swords are reproductions.

This first saber is a reproduction of a Napoleonic French officers saber. My wife bought it for me as my retirement gift in 2014.
This saber was issued to the subalterns in the French Light Cavalry Guard unit called the Chasseurs a Cheval of the Imperial Guard. This saber is well balanced and very easy to wield.
In July 2018, while at the French Army Museum (Les Invalides) in Paris, I spotted the original saber and there are also pics below of the original.

Napoleonic French Chasseurs officer saber.

THE ORIGINAL

For my birthday in 1985, my wife bought me this Napoleonic French Heavy Cavalry trooper's sword. We were stationed in W. Germany and my wife bought this sword in a little shop in Wurzburg. This 'beast' was used by Napoleon's French Cuirassiers.
This is a beast!! The long blade is almost 38 inches long. Not very easy to wield. Designed to 'give the point.'

French Cuirassiers sword.

I'm not sure what these numbers and marks are?

I just recently bought this "Cold Steel" reproduction of the Napoleonic Wars British Light Cavalry saber. This weapon has a sharpened blade and obviously designed to 'give the cut.' A well balanced and deadly weapon!

Cold Steel 1796 British Light Cavalry Saber.

Lastly, a cheap reproduction U.S. Cavalry Saber. I don't even know which model it supposed to be. Bought it in the 1980's at the "Old Fort Bliss" museum at Fort Bliss, Texas. It feels like a club.

U.S. Cavalry Saber

Thanks for look at my small collection.

God bless,
Birdgun

That's a repro of the U.S. Model 1860 enlisted saber - an original is in the OP. I've been to the Fort Bliss museum many times, and have shot on their rifle range a couple of times.

John

 

[Birdgun]

Thanks Paladin for the reply.

There are two reasons I question which model the U.S. Cavalry Saber is:
1. The blade is only 34 inches long. The Model 1860 Heavy Cavalry saber is 36 inches.
2. The grip does not have the 'guppy' bulge. The Model 1860 had the grip blulge to better fit the hand.

Another aggravating thing about my cheap repro is the distal taper. There is none on this saber; making it feel like a club.

Distal Taper: the back of the blade is wider at the hilt and narrows toward the point; thus moving the center of balance closer to the hilt. (My British 1796 saber blade is 8mm at the hilt and narrows toward 2mm just before the point.)

Again, thanks for the reply.
Birdgun

 

[pasound]

My upstairs neighbor has a pair of these... However, in all seriousness, we have a lot of swords in our museum collection at work. I'll look through the pictures Monday and see what we have that might be interesting. I do know we have one purported to belong to George Washington.

 

[Exmilcop]

Well, research is equal parts fascination and frustration. Turns out what I had assumed to be a cavalry sword is in actuality an artillery officer's sword. You folks who love blades will note that the American military liked the French 1822 design so much they essentially copied it for the 1860 pattern cavalry sword.

 

[SFC Rick]

I have a few swords, those that were awarded by my Headquarters during my Army years for being made a member of the Royal Order of the Saber. Then my Marine Corps NCO sword during my First 8 years enlisted.

Then I found this Civil War 1860 Sword and researched all the Inspector marks.

 

[SFC Rick]

Royal Order of the Saber award.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[CajunBass]

I've never owned a sword, except maybe a plastic one when I was a kid, but back in my Civil War relic hunting days, we from time to time did come across a long, sword shaped piece of rust who's previous owner had dropped for one reason or another. For the most part, they were in such bad shape, they weren't even worth bringing out of the woods.

However: My Grandfather, did find one that he described as a Union Non-Commissioned Officers sword in very near mint condition. Very rare, considering it had been buried in Hanover County, Va for about 100 years or so (This would have been in the 60's.) It was a short, double edged sword, with a brass hilt that looked for all the world like an old Roman broadsword. I've seen one other like it, in a little museum in Orange County, Va., but that one wasn't as nice as the one my Grandfather had. No idea what happened to it when he passed on. He sold/gave away a lot of the stuff he had late in his life.