December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/10/2024
This fine, early American short saber with "target eye" eagle pommel is a form that Harold Peterson, Andrew Mowbray and other experts date to c. 1780. 32 1/4 inches long overall, it has a 26 7/8 inch-long, slightly curved, American blade with single, narrow, unstopped fuller near spine and is 1 9/16 inches wide at ricasso. The hilt is silver-mounted with S-shaped guard with eagle-head quillons, the lower one's beak holding the silver chain that connects in kind to the eagle-head pommel, the latter engraved with a "target eye" and simple neck feathers and bearing a turned capstan on top. The grip is of reeded bone, with a narrow, silver ferrule between it and crossguard; it bears a central, inlaid silver band bearing an engraved, early Federal eagle centered on the right side--almost identical in form to George Washington's cockade eagle now at Mount Vernon. It is quite possible that the reeded grip with band was a 1790s updating of a sword made a decade earlier. This very example is discussed and pictured on pp. 42-43 in Mowbray's seminal book, "The American Eagle Pommel Sword: The Early Years." CONDITION: Blade retains a relatively bright surface with some scattered dark spots and a few nicks to the cutting edge; hilt very good and tight to blade; its silver mounts retain a pleasing, dullish bright surface showing some minor wear and marks from use; grip excellent with a few horizontal hairline age cracks and wonderful honey patina; a fine example in very good condition. PROVENANCE: Robert Harper Collection until at least 1988; from thence to the William Dupree Collection; acquired in 2022.