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Item:
ONJR24NM007

Original U.S. Civil War Excellent Ames Model 1832 Artillery Short Sword with Scarce Scabbard - Dated 1855

Item Description

Original Item: Only One Available. This is likely the most beautiful example of an Ames Model 1832 Artillery Short sword we have offered, dated 1855, perfect for issue during the Civil War. This design of foot artillery sword has a straight, heavy double-edged steel blade. There are two side-by-side fullers, starting just below the hilt. Then, after a space of 11/16", there is a single center fuller that extends toward the blade's spear shaped point. The overall blade length is approximately 19 1/4''.

The blade is stamped on the reverse, near the hilt:

U.S.
G.G.S.
1855

"G.G.S." is the marking of U.S. Army inspector G.G. Saunders. This same inspector’s marking can be found on the side of the crossguard. On the obverse, near the hilt stamped is:

AMES MFG. CO.
CHICOPEE
MASS.

The hilt and cross guard are cast and partly machined brass, and are marked on the sides with G.G.S. and a partial calligraphic inspector’s marking that we cannot make out. 

The grips have been molded in a scalloped eagle feather design. Three transverse iron rivets secure it to the tang of the blade. The pommel is decorated on each side with a heavily incised American eagle, with shield, holding arrows in his left talon and an olive branch in his right talon. The eagle's head faces towards its right. The straight cross quillons terminate in disk shaped finials, which are in great shape. Overall the grip has a lovely aged patina, with no signs of aggressive cleaning.

The blade on this example looks to have seen heavy service and some past oxidation near the tip, which was then cleaned away. It was not heavily cleaned, and original grind marks can still be seen in the fullers and elsewhere on the blade. There are some nicks on the edge of the blade, so it definitely did see some level of use in service.

The black leather scabbard is in extremely good condition, with a great look and mellow gold color on the brass fittings. The leather still retains much of the black finish, though it is cracked in areas and the leather has become hard, so it doesn’t fit 100% onto the sword, with a buffer zone of roughly ⅛”. There is some minor denting on the brass drag, but nothing too extensive.

This is one of the most gorgeous examples we have ever offered. Comes ready for further research and display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 19 1/4"
Blade Style: Double Edged "Gladius" style
Overall length: 25 1/4“
Crossguard: 4 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 20"

Model 1832 Foot Artillery Sword
The U.S. Model 1832 foot artillery short-sword has a 6-inch (15 cm) solid brass hilt, a 4-inch (10 cm) crossguard, and a blade usually 19 inches (48 cm) in length. This model was the first sword contracted by the U.S. with the Ames Manufacturing Company of Springfield (later Chicopee), Massachusetts, with production starting in 1832. In later years, it was also imported and supplied by W.H. Horstmann & Sons of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a personal side arm, it was intended for use by the regular or foot artillery regiments of the United States Army and remained in service until 1872 for use by foot artillerymen. It was the issued sword for sergeants and musicians of infantry regiments from 1832 until 1840. As most artillery regiments were trained and equipped as infantry prior to 1861 a single weapon for both types of troops made sense. It replaced the earlier Starr pattern sword used throughout the 1820s. While the design was impractical for actual combat, it is believed that artillerymen put this weapon to other uses, such as clearing brush or creating trails. It was an effective tool for cutting paths through the Florida swamps during the Second Seminole War, which occurred during the time it was issued to infantry sergeants, drummers and fifers. This is somewhat corroborated by the French nickname for their version of the sword, coupe choux (cabbage cutter). The last Ames contract for this sword was completed in 1862, although as a stock item it continued to be listed in company catalogs for decades afterwards.

The design was based on the French foot artillery short sword of 1816, which with minor changes was basically repeated in 1831. The French model was based on the Roman gladius, the standard sword of the Roman legionaries.

French versions can be distinguished from American versions by the hilt design, manufacturers' marks (French manufacturers include Châtellerault, St. Etienne, Talabot, and Thiebaut), and the lack of U.S. markings. Swords supplied by Ames typically bore an eagle on the blade until the Mexican–American War, whereas those made during the civil war by Confederate arsenals were typically unmarked. The Ames Model 1832 has a hilt with an eagle cast into the pommel and a scaled grip surface. French versions have either textured grips (model 1816) or ringed grips (model 1831), and like later English models a plain or smooth pommel on the hilt.

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