November 15 & 16, 2022 Extraordinary Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2022
John Lynch produced a vast majority of silver pieces during his 62 years as an active silversmith and has at least 12 hallmarks attributed to his work. This stylish eagle head saber features one of those hallmarks, and the touchmark "I LYNCH" is located inside of the knucklebow in a rectangular cartouche. The sword features a non-crested Lynch style eagle decorated with single line engraving. Feathers are only slightly detailed with rounded eye and shallow capstan. The knucklebow connects to the pommel just under the beak and forms into a stirrup shape before forming into the crossguard which features a nicely executed open work diamond at the center and terminates into a wide quillon. The grip is of bone, accented with tightly spiraled with twisted silver wire. The curved blade features a double fuller. The center fuller features the Latin slogan translating to "Do not draw me without reason or sheath me without honor" contained in a vignette, which has been encountered on other Lynch swords. Narrow Ricasso. CONDITION: The blade retains a heavy brown patina with pitting throughout, some nicks to cutting edge. Slogan is partially obscured. Hilt mostly polished with scattered areas of silver oxidation, a couple slight bends to top of guard. Grip shows some hairline age cracks and tight wire. This saber is featured on pg. 317 in "American Silver-Hilted, Revolutionary and Early Federal Swords, Volume I" by Dan Hartzler.