November 15 & 16, 2022 Extraordinary Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2022
Eagle head pommel sword with hilt attributed to Robert Webb. Robert's life is a bit of a mystery, as his exact location and time he was actively crafting these swords have not been established. However, it is known that his 2 sons, James and John, followed in his footsteps and actively worked out of Maryland. This sword features a slightly curved blade with double fuller, a thin filler at the top and a secondary broader fuller underneath more towards the center. Each fuller features the same depth and the secondary fuller is slightly curved. The blade appears to be American made and features a small ricasso just before it meets the ornate crossguard which features 2 clamshell quillons. One quillon is bent downwards and is connected to a circular chained guard which connects to the pommel. The guard is visibly stamped with the hallmark "RW" contained in a square in 3 places. A ferrule separates the guard and the grooved wood grip. The twisted silver wire fits neatly into the grooves of the grip which terminates at the pommel, as there is no top ferrule. The eagle head is executed in the Baltimore style and features a rather wide capstan rivet. The mouth appears as a slash, and the forehead molding is plain. As is typical of the Baltimore style eagle heads, the eyes resemble the shape of a football. There is a small crest at the back of the head and the feathers at the top flow backwards toward the rear while the sides flow down. The feathers are nicely detailed and feature clear rachis and vanes. CONDITION: The blade shows a light gray patina with some areas of minor delamination. There are scattered nicks along the edge of the blade. Crossguard exhibits some scattered spots of dark patina, but is mostly polished. Top quillon has been professionally reattached. Grip exhibits handling wear with scattered scuffs and dents. There are several cracks with the largest measuring approximately 3 - 1/2". Eagle head pommel exhibits mostly dark patina and the details remain crisp. Guard slightly loose. This sword is featured on page 297 of "American Silver-Hilted, Revolutionary and Early Federal Swords, Volume I" by Dan Hartzler.
Paperwork
Excerpt from Book