Please Help Identify Sword

6

6273909

Joined
Aug 15, 2014
Messages
3
I found this sword wile digging a hole.

It was about 4 feet below the surface.
It was located in Panama City Beach, Florida.
It was about 175 feet from the southern shore of the lower grand lagoon and about 3/4 mile form St. Andrews State Park.



2014-08-15103731.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

[video][/video]

2014-08-15103704.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

 
The hilt form/origin is that of a British 1821 cavalry sword but I can't place the blade easily in a British context. There were a lot of oddballs out there and my first thought would be that of a 1796 heavy cavalry blade on the 1821 light cavalry hilt but the blade you show seems to lack both a fuller and ricasso.

There were other European versions of the hilt and it was also adopted in the U.S. It was possibly a cutlass made to order.

Is this shown as it was when found? If so, in remarkable condition and probably not as old as the hilt style at all.

Cheers

GC
 
Well, dug items can surprise us. If it was four ft down, soil conditions and other factors might preserve it as is pretty well.

Also, are the hilt parts non-ferrous (not magnetic)? On the back of the hilt, does it seem to have a raised thumb rest? Is it smooth or checkered on the back?
262s8rm.jpg


Also, any historical information on the exact location might become useful. I don't know if this was private land, or if there might be more archaeological interest that might be explored. Was this digging for a purpose other than treasure hunting?
The second Seminole/Florida era would have been from the mid 1830s up into the 1840s but I don't know any/much about the area in history.

Cheers

GC
 
It is exactly as found last week. It was in black 'muck', organic layer. You could still make out grass in the layer. The grass still being intact must mean there was no oxygen in the layer, but that is just an uneducated guess. The area was opened for settlement in 1821 so your estimation of the year is a match for that. Perhaps the sword was used beyond its military need, broken and the blade replaced. The guard is not brass; a magnet sticks to it so I assume it is steel. I was digging the hole to install a power pole for my manufactured home, it is private land. I dug a little more but didn't find anything else.
 
I was just looking at it now and noticed what looks to be a name stamped into the blade but it is small dots like a nail point and not very neat. EARL. T?? All capitals but the E and the T are larger.
 
Keep diggin' till you find the treasure chest!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top