Swords - Antique Swords

US Model 1840 Musician's sword by Horstmann & Sons of Philadelphia, circa 1843-1893.
Overall length is ~34-1/2"; blade length is ~28-5/8".
NOTE: No scabbard.
Sword is in good condition overall with scattered pitting from light to moderate.

This is current regulation US Navy Officer's sword, basically unchanged since 1852 but became more delicate circa 1875. This sword was sold by an obscure company known as Pancraft, in business circa 1930s-1940s, believed to be a trade name of Joseph Panitz & Co., 426 So. Spring St., Los Angeles, California.
Gilt hilt with faux shagreen [sharkskin] grip.
Blade is marked on ricasso, "PANCRAFT / NONE BETTER" and on the other side, "MADE IN / U.S.A" inverted at the bottom of a Star of Damascus". USN on pierced guard. Blade length is ~31-3/4" and is in excellent condition; officer's name was never etched onto the blade.
Scabbard retains about 70% of its original finish with various nicks and bruises; inner middle of seam has split (see images). Scabbard overall condition is about good.
Current military regulation, 1852/1875-2007.

U.S. Model 1872 Cavalry Officer's Saber (also carried by military association fraternities such as Commanders of Knights of Pythias, Uniformed Ranks, and certain Masonic orders). This was the regulation United States Army Cavalry Officer's Saber from 1872 to 1902 (this one should date between 1890 and 1902). Slightly different hilt style - so may be considered non-regulation - in that it has an 1840 pattern hilt (see images) with 1872 blade.
Overall length in scabbard is ~38-3/4"; overall length out of scabbard is ~38"; blade length is ~31-3/4", width is ~7/8" wide by ~3/16" thick at ricasso. MADE IN GERMANY stamped into ricasso.
Cast brass hilt with leather grip wrapped with twisted-brass wire.
NOTE: Includes black-enameled scabbard with two wine-colored officer's tassels.
Overall condition is about good; repaired hilt fracture at junction of guard branches (see images).

As you might guess, we receive a large amount of requests for identification and appraisal of various arms and armor. I urge you in advance to peruse the Arms Identification pages on that section of the website; this may save you some money. Many common weapons and related can be found there. If that does not work for you, I will try to help directly, but at a fee. I will also buy your items if you wish to sell after identification or informal appraisal. If you decide to sell, I will credit or refund you the total amount of the identification or appraisal fee, once the item for sale is received in-house and a price agreed upon.



Please note:

• This is the price for the identification of one item. I will supply a basic identification and a basic value (if requested).
• I will not specifically name the variations in a particular model, only the variant model designation. This is a basic service.
• I will need one overall image, generally no larger than a 8x10 desktop type photo in jpg/jpeg format and cropped to the subject matter only. I will not accept any other format or compressed/zipped images. I will ask for additional photos if necessary. E-mail these to Identify; your order number must be included in the subject line.
• Please do not e-mail single image files larger than 250kb, no more than 500kb total for multiple images; I will not open them if they exceed these limits.
• If you E-mail or snail-mail any images to me for use in identification of an item, I reserve the right to use - without further contact - those images on my website, without compensation to you (other than my efforts to assist you, however minimal the result may actually be).
• If you choose to snail-mail images, please make sure you have copies or your originals retained for yourself. We do not return images in any format and they become the property of Arms to Armor - The History Store without compensation to you for any use - past, present, or future.
• I will also need basic dimensions and description of the item being identified. Please add these to the text box in the shopping cart or e-mail as above.
• Be sure to put your order number in the subject field of any e-mails pertaining to the identification request.
• Fee must be paid in advance and is nonrefundable; if sending a check, make payable to The History Store and state Identification Service in your memo field; mail to the address below. Payment must accompany any request.
• We will not be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Once again, this is a very basic service.
• Research materials I have available are quite substantial; however, on some items, information within those materials might be quite sparse.

I have various information on Cadets - graduates and non-graduates - of the United States Military Academy at West Point, from 1802 to 2002.
If there is a name etched or engraved on your sword or scabbard - and that name is registered as a West Point Cadet - I can very likely supply basic information on that individual. I charge $10 to search, non-refundable. If a record is found, I will forward that information on to you via e-mail; if no record is found, I will e-mail you to that effect.
Please enter the name of the individual in the Customer Text Entry Box when ordering or in a separate e-mail; make sure your Order Number is in the Subject Field of your e-mail.