September 29, 2021 The Bill Myers Collection
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/29/2021
According to "History of American Military Goods Dealers & Makers: 1775 - 1950: Vol. II" by Bruce Bazalon, Jacob Beck worked in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is listed as a supplier in various United States military records between 1781 and 1787 for providing different types of accouterments. He had residences in Bedford County and Huntingdon County in Pennsylvania. The sword has a wide unfullered single edge blade with a 5-1/4" false edge. The right side of the ricasso is deeply stamped "J. BECK" in block letters above a large 3/4" diameter cartouche with a relief American eagle and a horizontal "J W" stamp; probably the inspector. The left side has the same cartouche and is double stamped "J. BECK" down father it is stamped "J W". The guard has a forward cured round quillon and stirrup knucklebow. Bird's head pommel with integral backstrap Bulbous wood grip wrapped with brown leather and a strand of twisted brass wire. Complete with its original iron mounted leather scabbard with single tooled lines along both edges. The heart shaped frog stud is also iron and the original leather frog is still intact. CONDITION: Blade retains a spotted grey patina, with excellent markings, tip is slightly rounded. Hilt retains a heavy dark patina. Leather grip is original and very good with some minor crazing. Only a small piece of original brass wire is intact. Scabbard very good with crazed surface and some flaking. Drag is on upside down. Scabbard shows shrinkage and blade does not fit in all the way, with top 1-1/2" exposed. Frog shows heaving crazing and leather hanger is present but detached. A very rare and desirable marked War of 1812 sword. DMG