M1840 heavy cavalry officer's saber. Philadelphia, [Pennsylvania]: W. H. Horstmann & Sons, ca. 1850-1862. Overall approx. 42 1/4 in., blade approx. 31 5/8 in. long.

Though they are nevertheless regarded as model 1840 cavalry sabers, John Thillmann, who describes the 31 1/2 in.-bladed variant on pages 216-222 of  Civil War Cavalry & Artillery Sabers, aptly compares the dramatic curve to the blade to that of an artillery saber (221). While the swords photographed in the book are paired with relatively shorter scabbards, this example is paired with the long-bladed 36 1/2 in. steel scabbard with an American-style drag. 

The blade is acid-etched with foliates and panoplies of arms to each side and with a botanical motif along the spine. To its obverse, it is additionally etched "W. H. / Horstmann / & Sons / Philadelphia". 

A fine example of the somewhat unusual short-bladed swords assembled by Horstmann. The blade and scabbard have each assumed dark patinas. The original shagreen grip with 14 wraps of triple-strand wire, the center strand twisted, is intact and in good condition, and, though the exterior knucklebow is mildly deformed, the guard retains some of the original gold gilding. 

Known informally as "Wristbreakers," m1840 cavalry sabers were used during the Mexican-American War and saw continued popularity throughout the Civil War despite the introduction of their replacement, the m1860 light cavalry saber. 

References: 

Thillmann, John H. Civil War Cavalry & Artillery Sabers: A Study of United States Cavalry and Artillery Sabers, 1833-1865. Lincoln, Rhode Island: Andrew Mowbray Publishers, 2001. 

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]