WAR OF 1812 ERA "EAGLE'S HEAD" POMMEL OFFICER’S SABER WITH PATRIOTIC MOTIFS

"Bolton / Upson" eagle-pommel officer's saber. New York: Richards, Upson & Co., circa 1805. Blade produced [Birmingham, England: Thomas Gill, ca. 1805]. Blade etched "Richards Upson / & Co / New York," alongside floral and military insignia etchings, including a federal eagle holding a ribband reading "E Pluribus Unum" to the reverse. Blade approx. 28 in., overall approx. 33 1/2 in. long.

Complete with brass scabbard. The curved blade has developed a somewhat dark patina, with light pitting toward the tip. The washer is absent, revealing the stamped “G” house mark of Gill and some light surface rust. Traces of the original gold gilding remain visible on the pommel, ferrule, and guard.

A near-identical example, bearing the Bolton/Upson eagle pommel, bone grip, 28-inch curved blade, and “pie-crusted” slotted guard, is illustrated in Andrew Mowbray’s The American Eagle-Pommel Sword: The Early Years, 1794–1830, where it is identified as an officer’s saber dating to circa 1805 (p. 96). Despite its name, the distinctive eagle pommel was not likely designed by the New York importer Upson of Richards, Upson & Co. nor the Birmingham cutler Richard D. Bolton. Mowbray instead suggests that Thomas Bates may have produced and distributed the pommels, which subsequently became a standard feature of swords manufactured in Birmingham (p. 95).

With the approach of the War of 1812, British-made arms increasingly fell out of favor among American consumers. As a result, many swords assembled abroad, including this example, lack their original Birmingham maker’s marks. The importer, Richards, Upson & Co., was a firm composed of American partners with British commercial ties: Richards was likely related to the British gun dealer Henry Richards, while Upson’s brother was employed by an international trade and finance firm based in London.

Provenance: Frederick "Frank" Logan Collection. From the collection of Frederick "Frank" Logan. Frank Logan was a dedicated Civil War enthusiast and respected member of the collecting community. He began his lifelong passion for Civil War history as a relic hunter in the mid-1970s. Over the decades, that early interest grew into a deep passion for all aspects of the Civil War, with his collecting efforts eventually centering on Maryland-related artifacts and material culture.

A member of the Maryland Arms Collectors Association, he was well regarded among fellow collectors for his knowledge and appreciation of historical artifacts. Carefully assembled over many years, his collection reflects decades of searching, study, and a genuine dedication to preserving pieces of American Civil War history.

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] [War of 1812, James Madison, Battle of Lake Erie, Battle of Plattsburgh, Fort McHenry, Battle of New Orleans, Treaty of Ghent, Andrew Jackson]