SPANISH MODEL 1843
FOOT ARTILLERY or
ENGINEER'S SHORT SWORD
or MACHETE



This is a Foot-Artillery/Engineer's Machete/Short-Sword from the period of 1843 to about 1870, perhaps as late as the 1890s.

The example to the left was manufactured at the Toledo Arsenal Spain ("FA D TOLEDO" marked on blade ricasso) and dated ("ANO D 1862" marked on blade ricasso, this example)
Overall length is ~22".
Hilt is ~5-7/8" in length and is constructed entirely of brass; cross-guard is ~5-7/8" in width; grip is patterned with a "fish-scale" or "feathered" texture.
Massive un-fullered, single-edged, semi-curved, clip-point blade is ~16" in length.

A comparable sword to the Officer's Modelo 1843 is listed in the Ames Sword Company catalog of the late 1800's on page 196 as item number 680 under Military Association - Short Swords, "Machete; Brass Hilt and Grip; No Scabbard."

As a footnote: It has been suggested - through recently uncovered documents - that these swords were imported at the beginning - or just before - the outbreak of hostilities in the American Civil War. I can neither prove - nor disprove - this claim at this time.
Having said that, Spanish-made arms are known to have been used in the American Civil War. One such arm (an Enfield-style rifle) is marked MADRID 1861 (see Civil War Guns by William B. Edwards). It seems logical that shoulder arms and edged weapons would be acquired at the same time, if such were made available. Further research must be done in this area before any definite conclusion can be drawn.

SPANISH MODEL 1843
FOOT ARTILLERY or
ENGINEER'S SHORT SWORD
or MACHETE, (finials trimmed)




SPANISH MODEL 1843
FOOT ARTILLERY or
ENGINEER'S SHORT SWORD
or MACHETE, Officer's Variant


If you need further information, please request such on the Weapons Identification Service page.
Return to the European Sword Identification Page
©1998-2008 - C. Alan Russell - All rights reserved.