Quality sword replicas?

[UnionMan]

Gents,

If I have missed something already posted in the forum, please forgive me as I was not able to find anything.

I am in the market for a line officer's sabre (Federal) and was wondering if somebody could recommend a quality maker. Most reproduction blades are junk. What is my best option?

-Tad

[Yellowhammer]

Re: Quality sword replicas?

Tad,

The pickings are fairly slim out there for some of the most common Federal officer's swords. I am unaware of any correct 1850 Foot Officer or Field and Staff Swords currently being offered. The examples of these patterns I've seen recently ran the gamut from marginal to utterly unacceptable.

However, the good news is that there are some acceptable reproductions being made.

First, there is an Ames marked reproduction of the "1860 cavalry saber" being made. While not perfect, there are head and shoulders above any of the other repros of this pattern. Sabers of this pattern were carried by Federal officers of many ranks throughout the war as either their primary or "field" swords.



Another good one is the "Import" foot officer sword. This is a reproduction of the swords imported from Solingen, Germany. CAVEAT EMPTOR on this one as I've seen several examples varying from very good to poor. Fit and overall quality varied dramatically.

Two more good repros are the 1840 light artillery officers saber and the 1860 light cavalry officers sabers. While probably not the best choice for a Federal infantry junior officer, at least they are well made reproductions. I am aware of at least one saber of each of these patterns id'd to CS infantry
officers. (The artillery saber is better than the cavalry saber IMHO.)

Here is a pic of the cavalry model. Note the tight braid, good fit of grip, and other nice details. My main complaint about this saber is the marginal quality of the castings of the scabbard hangers.



If you are an eBayer, check out seller BigMick45. He frequently has a variety of good reproduction swords and sabers for sale.

Last, the Discriminating General is worth a look. They carry a variety of period British swords which can be found in period catalogs of officer's furnishings and extant originals. I recently examined a British artillery saber that was id'd to a PA Lt. who was KIA at Sharpsburg.

http://www.militaryheritage.com/

I hope that helps.

Cheers,

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Quality sword replicas?

Hallo Kamerad!

There are the Sutler's Row junk, and then there is the "better junk."

IMHO, there are no current makers of a quality sowrd or saber.

I assume you mean a M1850 Foot Officers Sword?

For about $225, or so (I am rusty), one can pick up a high end junk from places like Legendary Arms. And for about $150, a sword restoration "service" or guy" can replace the bogus black leather grip wrap with correct ray skin (everyone I know lives with the leather though...).

During the CW Centennial, someone made some fairly decent reproductions.
Every once in a while, one of these turns up at a gun show. I have one that is an M1850 Staff & Field Officers Sword and although not as "prefect" as an original, it is nearly, and definitely well head-and-shoulders above the current "high end" India/Pakistani imports.

Another alternative is to look to the original "non-regulation" CW imports from Germany, England, or France. "Junior" officers sometimes purchased these if their wallets were not that large.
I have a mint German version imported through Schuyler, Hartley, & Graham of NY I paid $225 for a few years ago- the same money as the India/Pakistani inferior repro's...

Curt-Heinrich Schmidt

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Quality sword replicas?

Sorry, John.

I did not see your post until after I sent mine...

Curt-Heinrich Schmidt

[markj]

Re: Quality sword replicas?

Hi,

I know exactly how you feel. A couple of years ago, the grandson of a lieutenant in the 32nd (German) Indiana gave me the rare opportunity to actually strap on his ancestor's sword and carry it at an event (I did NOT take it on to the field!). The sword itself is consistent with those made by Saubier & Co., carries an inscripion on the scabbard indicating it had been presented to the lieutenant by his friends in Indianapolis on 1 April 1864, and has a silver "gripe." To our knowledge, this event was the first time it had actually been carried since the lieutenant's return from the war in 1865. Most definitely a "Kodak Moment."

Needless to say, the difference between my Indian-made "Pattern of 1850" piece of junk and the original was like night and day.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger

[UnionMan]

Re: Quality sword replicas?

Thanks for the help guys. It appears that finding a good replica 1850 foot officer's sword offers the same sad story of trying to find a good replica bayonet :)

What makes the two very different is that I can afford an original bayonet, and feel comfortable reenacting with one.

I will ride out Ebay for some time and see what turns up...before having to throw $200 at a questioinable piece. If one had to pick up a reproduction, is Legendary Arms the best bet for online dealers?

-Tad

[DougCooper]

Re: Quality sword replicas?

Look for swords made by Ordnance Park - a defunct company that made excellent repros back in the 80's and perhaps very early 90's. Examples still show up from time to time. Not only are they good in appearance but their balance and weight seems closer to the originals I have handled. People keep offering me money for my 1850 FO repro.

Other than that - see Big Mick on e-bay and wheedle him for the best, which as you have already heard here is well...the good news is everybody else is in the same boat.

[KathyBradford]

Re: Quality sword replicas?

Please forgive my complete and utter ignorance here. A Pennsylvania shop has a table full of swords, and I know nothing about them. The gentleman who owned the shop passed away, and his wife also knows nothing about them. I'm posting these photos in hopes that they may be used as a lesson illustration on how to identify characteristics of right and wrong. If it is only a table full of Knights of Columbus swords and things from wrong time periods, please pardon the intrusion.

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Quality sword replicas?

Does anybody know were to pick up a quality scabard?

[Bill Cross]

Re: Quality sword replicas?

I will ride out Ebay for some time and see what turns up...before having to throw $200 at a questioinable piece.
-Tad

Tad,

I don't know what your budget is, but if you're going to spend $200 for something that will only decrease in value the moment you buy it, you might want to look at purchasing a generic original that will either retain its current value or increase if properly taken care of. In my own case, I bought a nice French import sword from this regular eBay seller for more than what you're talking about, but far less than the $650+ that most 1850 Foot Officer Swords sell for from the antiques dealers.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=36037&item=2238078321

This gentleman specializes in French swords (apparently he travels to France where he purchases many of his items), and the quality of the sword was very good. You can ask him if he has anything in a particular price range. The one I bought has no markings, and is like the many French imports brought to this country during the Rebellion because domestic production could not keep pace with the demand for newly-minted officers (and since swords were usually returned to the survivors when an officer was KIA, the demand for butter knives did not abate). I needed to restore the wire wrap (about $15, again available on eBay), but I avoided the ray skin dilemma by going with a bone handle. I also had the sword "tuned up" by a craftsman here on the forum for about $50 to tighten the hilt and restore the felt pad where the sword joins the scabbard. Finally, its metal scabbard meant that I did not have to find a decent reproduction, which is either pricey or means hunting around for the correct brass parts on eBay and elsewhere.

I will not get into the question about whether it's right or not right to take an original item into the field. That's a topic best left for another discussion.

[KentuckyReb]

Re: Quality sword replicas?

Kathy--

The swords with the cruciform hilts and the pommel in the shape of a knight's head (particularly the one in picture #1 with the chain connecting the pommel with the crossguard) are most likely swords from fraternal organizations like the Odd Fellows or the Masonic Knights Templar, the K of C like you said, etc. I'm thinking probably the one with the head of a 'Colonial-looking' gent in #3 might be too...maybe Sons of the American Revolution, if they had swords as regalia...? Not real familiar with them. The saber-style swords--can't help you there. Might not have helped you at all. :D Herr Schmidt, or some member of the board who happens to be a Freemason could probably tell better than I about the 'fraternal-looking' swords. Just speaking from what I've seen looking at Masonic and IOOF regalia online.

[UnionMan]

Re: Quality sword replicas?

I just received word from Ames that they sell a reproduction 1850 Foot Officer's Sword for around $240. They say that the blades and scabbards are made to their specifications overseas, but that the rest of the parts are made in the USA and the sword itself assembled here. Anybody seen one of these?

Thanks,

-Tad

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Quality sword replicas?

I just received word from Ames that they sell a reproduction 1850 Foot Officer's Sword for around $240. They say that the blades and scabbards are made to their specifications overseas, but that the rest of the parts are made in the USA and the sword itself assembled here. Anybody seen one of these?

Thanks,

-Tad

I found out yesterday from a friend that works for a major sportsware/military gear manufacturing company, that Made in USA also includes Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, and other off shore US possession.

[mtvernon]

Re: Quality sword replicas?

I'm having a bit of buyer's remorse and am seeking confirmation or encouragement. I just purchased an M1850 Foot Officer's Sword (Without Marking) for 64.99. The version with marking sells for $199.99. The only difference stated was that one had markings and one didn't. I know from my limited research that this company sells 'pretty ok' level repro swords, but I'm starting to gulp a little.

Does anyone know the sword of which I speak? Any thoughts on whether I threw my money away or not?

Many Thanks,

[FTrooper]

Re: Quality sword replicas?

Joe,

Recently a friend also bought said sword...and ironically he came WITH all the markings! (no guarantee yours will).

The problem (as this whole thread notes) is there really isn't any good replica swords or bayonets out there. And the pickings for anything other than a Cavalry sabre are REAL slim.

I can understand your hesitance, but if you can find ANY other dealer of M1850 foot officer's swords, I'd like to know it!

Chris Fischer
Fort McKavett
&
F-Troop