Millard Vs Ames?

[VorpelSword]

Millard vs Ames?

Model 1860 US Cavalry Light Saber


The scabbard is intact, lacking only the leather throat washer. There is a uniformly black patina over the entire surface of the scabbard. Portions of the hangar straps are still attached. The saber's grip is complete and tight. The brass hand guard has been slightly bent in use. The blade is straight and retains etching

The blade is marked on the flat part close to the handle on one side with: “US”, “CEW”, “1862” and on the other side; “D.J.MILLARD”. Internet research indicates that Millard owned The Paris Furnace Company in Claysville, New York which made farm tools. In December of 1861 he got a federal contract to make 10,000 Model 1860 sabers. These were all produced in 1862 and marked with that date. Charles W. Wilson was a government arsenal inspector and his initials are stamped above the date. This is the smallest lot of the 300,000 contract sabers produced for the Union during the Civil War; making the Millard sabers only 3% of the total.
This saber was authenticated in writing in 2005 by Collector’s Firearms in Houston with a written certificate.

My question is: Is this saber more desirable to a collector than the more common sabers made by Ames?

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

[horseclover]

There are some that might pay a premium for Millard or Providence Tool but you are looking at a very niche market. Condition is everything and only a primo example will draw the attention of a serious collector willing to pay the premium. The market is somewhat soft and has been for a decade or more. Asking a dealer to do an appraisal is a bit of a conflict of interest.

Tom Nardi Restoration has a sword value guide you might benefit from. A Google will bring him right up. We are now past the 150 year celebration of the ACW and there was really no raise in prices from 2010-2015 except at events and shows. I saw no real increase except for the very fine examples and named presentations. A Millard in "as issued" condition would be a good buy or sell but otherwise any damage at all really does affect value. A superior Ames marked to the same year will out sell a Millard with issues. Sad but true.

If you view it as more collectible, enjoy it on that basis. It will get more bragging rights than profit.

My French model 1854 dragoon officers straight job would outsell even finer ACW swords. The generic saber next to it shown below is worth less than half its value. I got a great bargain from Collectible Firearms once but it was an item beyond their normal range of knowledge. Considering a lot of what they sell, does so at high street prices, they probably were not to far off the mark but consider what they would pay, rather than what they would sell at.

Cheers

GC

 

[VorpelSword]

Horse Clover:

Thanks for that straight forward explanation.

This item was handed to me by an elderly friend. It had been handed down in her family since the battle of Shiloh, and she was the last of the line. I do not intend to sell it at this time and plan to pass it on to our son at some point.