Regulation Confederate Naval officer's sword and scabbard. [Birmingham, England]: [Robert] Mole, n.d.

30 1/2 in. single-edged, spear-point blade with 21 3/8 in. stopped median fuller. Overall 36 1/2 in. Dolphin-head gilt brass hilt with solid guard and hinged counter guard. The guard is cast with the Confederate naval insignia of a fouled anchor superimposed over crossed cannons surrounded by cotton and tobacco motifs. A brass knuckle guard extends from the dolphin's mouth. Guard affixed with a blue and gold Royal Navy officer's sword knot. Grooved wood grip with white shagreen and seven wraps of triple-strand wire, with center wire coiled. Ricasso stamped: "Courtney & Tennent / Charleston, S.C." Reverse ricasso with gilt-brass disc reading "PROOF" within an etched six-point star. Blade overall acid etched with cotton, tobacco, and foliate motifs. The obverse is etched with a fouled anchor superimposed on crossed cannons, while the reverse bears a 12-star First National Flag surmounting an anchor. Spine neatly stamped: "Mole".

The design of the sword has been attributed to Confederate Naval officer George T. Sinclair and was based upon the English Pattern 1827 Lion's Head Naval Officer's Sword. Albaugh describes the sword as "one of the rarest and most beautiful of all the blades that were drawn in defense of the South." (Confederate Edged Weapons, p. 47). Other examples are illustrated in Albaugh's Confederate Edged Weapons (#12, pp. 47-50) and A Photographic Supplement of Confederate Swords (pp. 77-80).

A true prize for the Confederate sword or naval collector. 

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.

References:

William A. Albaugh III. Confederate Edged Weapons. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1960.

Albaugh. A Photographic Supplement of Confederate Swords. Orange, Virginia: Moss Publications, 1979. 

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Swords, Knives, Bowie Knives, Knife, Blades] [Navy, Naval History]