{"product_id":"original-u-s-wwi-era-u-s-marine-corps-officers-mameluke-sword-by-jacob-reed-s-sons-of-philadelphia-named-to-lieutenant-john-a-nesbit","title":"Original U.S. WWI Era U.S. Marine Corps Officer's Mameluke Sword by Jacob Reed’s Sons of Philadelphia Named to Lieutenant John A. Nesbit","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a very worn and damaged example of a WWI Mameluke Marine officer’s sword named to Lieutenant John A. Nesbit. The sword features now-cracked and broken ivoroid grip scales with heavy cracking and some yellowing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sword has a very heavy and dark patina, the blade now covered in oxidation. The Mameluke sword is a very iconic edged weapon with roots in the Marine Corps going back 219 years to the First Barbary War. This example is etched on the blade with \u003cstrong\u003eJohn A. Nesbi\u003c\/strong\u003et for 2nd Lieutenant John A. Nesbit, who first enlisted on May 31st, 1918, being chosen for the Officer’s Training Camp at the Marine Barracks in Quantico, Virginia. He was commissioned as an officer in December 1918. He remained in the Marine Corps until June 1927 when he was discharged.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis WWI era USMC Officer's Mameluke sword with scabbard features natural handle grip scales that have been broken at the pommel. Sword alone is approximately 37 1\/8“ long overall. Blade is approximately 31 3\/8\" long, curved, and unsharpened. Blade is nickel-plated and has been etched on both sides with \u003cstrong\u003eUNITED STATES MARINES \u003c\/strong\u003eand various other military motifs. There is very heavy wear to the plating with heavy oxidation. The blade is also etched with the name\u003cstrong\u003e JOHN A NESBIT\u003c\/strong\u003e in Black Letter typeface on one side. Scabbard is in good but oxidized shape, with both of the original hanger rings, as well as the brass throat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall condition is very good, but it does show age, probably being around 100 years old. The nickel plating on the scabbard and blade is a bit worn, giving it a lovely patina of age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA fantastic USMC Mameluke Officer Sword named to a WWI Era Officer! Ready to add to your collection!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eApproximate Dimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBlade Length: 31 3\/8\"\u003cbr\u003eBlade Style: Curved Single Edge w\/ Fuller\u003cbr\u003eOverall length: 37 1\/8“\u003cbr\u003eGuard dimensions: 5\" width x 5” length\u003cbr\u003eScabbard length: 33 1\/2”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarine Corps history states that a sword of this type was presented to Marine First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon by the Ottoman Empire viceroy, Prince Hamet, on December 8, 1805, during the First Barbary War, in Libya, as a gesture of respect and praise for the Marines' actions at the Battle of Derna (1805). Upon his return to the United States, the state of Virginia presented him with a silver-hilted sword featuring an eaglehead hilt and a curved blade modeled after the original Mameluke sword given to him by Hamet. Its blade is inscribed with his name and a commemoration of the Battle of Tripoli Harbor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerhaps due to the Marines' distinguished record during this campaign, including the capture of the Tripolitan city of Derna after a long and dangerous desert march, Marine Corps Commandant Archibald Henderson adopted the Mameluke sword in 1825 for wear by Marine officers. After initial distribution in 1826, Mameluke swords have been worn except for the years 1859–1875 (when Marine officers were required to wear the U.S. Model 1850 Army foot officers' sword), and a brief period when swords were suspended during World War II. Since that time, Mameluke swords have been worn by Marine officers in a continuing tradition to the present day.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44964415799365,"sku":"ONJR26APNS060","price":495.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/EEE48E17-5E3A-4937-861F-9F33FD4289CF.jpg?v=1777922815","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-u-s-wwi-era-u-s-marine-corps-officers-mameluke-sword-by-jacob-reed-s-sons-of-philadelphia-named-to-lieutenant-john-a-nesbit","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}