Presented m1834 Revenue-Marine sword. Springfield, [Mass.]: Ames, n.d.

19 3/8 in. double-edged, spear-point blade with 11 1/8 in. stopped fuller. Sword overall 37 in. long. Blade is acid-etched "N. P. Ames / Cutler / Springfield" to obverse, along with foliate, patriotic, and maritime symbols to both sides; silver grip engraved to each side with floral and botanical motifs; ovoid pommel engraved with a ribband reading "Liberty" and 5 arrow-headed lightning bolts; and with a Federal shield to the reverse. Dual folding counter-guards are, respectively, a cast Federal eagle and an oval inscribed "Lieut. J. L. Prouty / U. S. Rev. Marine." Complete in leather scabbard.  

John Lincoln Prouty, Jr., (1804-1860) began his career in the Revenue-Marine on 26 November 1838, appearing in the Register of All Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in The Service of the United States on the Thirtieth September, 1839 as a third lieutenant (1839, p.66). His promotions to second lieutenant on 4 March 1843 and first lieutenant on 24 December 1846 were documented in subsequent volumes (1843, p. 128, and 1851, 114). Per a January 1861 obituary, Prouty died aboard the Revenue Cutter Jackson on 8 December 1860. 

The now-defunct Revenue-Marine, later Revenue Cutter Service, was one of two branches which merged to form the extant United States Coast Guard in 1915. Though the Revenue-Marine existed for over a century, the service recruited far fewer than the other United States military branches. As such, these officers' swords are extremely rare. There is some pitting to the blade and tarnishing to the grip, else this sword is in very fine condition.

Resources:

Register of All Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in The Service of the United States on the Thirtieth September, 1839. Washington, D.C.: A. B. Clayton & Co., 1839. 

Register of All Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in The Service of the United States on the Thirtieth September, 1841, to the Thirtieth September, 1843. Washington, D.C.: J. & G. S. Gideon, 1839. 

Register of All Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in The Service of the United States on the Thirtieth September, 1851. Washington, D.C.: Gideon & Co., 1851. 

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.

[Swords, Knives, Bowie Knives, Knife, Blades] [Revenue-Marine, Revenue Marine, Revenue Marines, Revenue Cutter Service] [Coast Guard]