Presentation officer's sword. Solingen, [Germany]: Clauberg. Retailed by New York: Schuyler, Hartley & Graham. 

The guard has open-work floral scrolls and a nicely executed eagle head quillon. Brass grip with simulated leaves, grooved and wrapped with strands of twisted brass wire. Pommel features scrollwork and a pair of crossed cannons. A bullion knot is wrapped around the grip.

Single-edged spear-point blade with stopped medial fuller. Beautiful blade acid-decorated over half its length with etched floral, patriotic, and foliate motifs. The obverse features leafy vines followed by a spread-winged federal eagle with a banner in its beak, contained within a styled vignette. The eagle is followed by a stand of arms resting atop the maker's mark, etched "Schuyler- / Hartley- / & Graham- / New York." Similar motifs are found on the reverse, with the eagle replaced by the letters "U.S." The ricasso is marked "CLAUBERG / SOLINGEN."

The black leather scabbard features brass mounts, each decorated with budding flowers. The upper ring mount is engraved in a combination of script and block letters: "Presented / to / LIEUT. Wm. H. WRIGHT / BY / the Members of Comp. G./ 56th Regt. N.G.S.N.Y. / July 28th 1863."

The 56th National Guard State of New York was based in Brooklyn and mobilized 476 officers and men for emergency duty in response to the War Department's Proclamation 102 calling for 100,000 militia to serve for six months issued on 15 June 1863. 

Lieut. Wright enrolled at Brooklyn for thirty days' service on June 18th and left the state with the regiment two days later, heading for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. That capital city was subject to Confederate probes and scouting that reached Carlisle and Mechanicsburg, resulting in skirmishes near Oyster Point between Confederate cavalry and artillery under Gen. Albert Jenkins and New York and Pennsylvania militia on June 29th.

Interestingly, Wiliam H. Wright appears on the Draft Registration for Brooklyn's 10th Ward on 1 July 1863 where his profession is listed as "United S. Army" as he was already serving in the 56th Militia Regiment.  

Note: This lot cannot be packaged and shipped in-house. Successful bidders winning items marked as being packaged and shipped by a third-party service are responsible for paying the third party directly. We are happy to offer complimentary drop-off service to local third-party packing/shipping companies in Columbus, Ohio.

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Swords, Knives, Bowie Knives, Knife, Blades, Presentation Sword]