December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/10/2024
Overall length: 37 1/2 in; blade length: 33 in. x 1 3/8 W at ricasso. Blade has a wide, single fuller and a 6 1/2 in. L false edge and features a blued ground on the upper 15 inches of the blade, bearing gilt-heightened, etched martial and floral devices, the right side bearing a large "US / of / A" in center, surmounted by an American flag over of segmented device in the form of the crown (the left side encompassing a shamrock and the right being a world globe). For many years, these blades were presumed to be exports from Birmingham, but recent scholarship suggests that they were made, etched and blued in the United States, probably New York City. The silver hilt has a "reversed-P" guard with scrolled quillon and a plain backstrap terminating in a bird's head pommel. There is a silver ferrule set behind the crossguard in front of the diagonal-channeled, ivory grip with a double-strand of twisted, silver wire set in the grooves. The maker's touchmark is stamped on the outer face of the crossguard below the blade in an oblong cartouche: "C. GIFFING". The 34 inch-long, leather scabbard has silver mounts with scalloped edges, consisting of throat, middle band, and chape or drag, all edge-bordered with fluted pairs of lines; the throat has both suspension ring and frog button, while the middle band also has a suspension ring. Christopher Giffing (1789-1866) worked as a silversmith in New York City in the 1810s and was listed at 40 Chapel Street, 1814-1815, at 64 Partition in 1816, and back at 40 Chapel from 1817 until 1834. This is a superb example of the earlier pattern swords produced by Giffing during the War of 1812 era, the hilt produced in his workshop and American-made blade from a cutler still to be identified. CONDITION: unblued portion of the blade shows a pewter finish with some dark patches, while approximately 50-60% of the blueing and gilding remains, with scattered spots of light oxidation; a few minor edge nicks. The hilt is in very good-excellent condition, less a small chip on the underside of the ivory grip, just before the pommel, virtually unnoticeable from the sides. The scabbard is very good, leather strong and stable, with some past crazing and flaking of surface grain, the silver mounts bright with some dark patches.