horseclover
Basic Member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2000
- Messages
- 3,505
On the cheaper side of collecting antiques are some of these helmet head militia swords. While the form really begins much earlier than this group posted, this batch ranges from the 1840s up to and possibly beyond the American Civil War. These are often generalized as "1850 militia NCO" but there many variations. I started with just a couple last year but can't seem to put them down, as far as watching for these early ones.
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The short ones to one side are less than 20" blades and have a crossed hatch grip. Two on the other side have spadroon blades and are of two lengths, These are like the regular army nco and musician blades of the civil war. The one in the scabbard is silvered and as mostly worn off of the hilt parts, has been restored witn Silver Secret. JAX hs a similar product that plates through low galvanic deposition with ground silver in solution.
I have been tending a thread I began last year elsewhere and there have been many discoveries.
http://www.swordforum.com/forums/showthread.php?104816-Early-Ames-And-Other-s-Militia-NCO-Patterns
These are fun for me to collect in concentrating on the early Ames pattern of these and acquisition cost has been very modest. They are somewhat iconic and many fraternal orders use quite similar looks (and entire swords at times).
It can be a little difficult to find the real bargains but even the later types from after the ACW can be a very economical way to begin collecting antiques.
Cheers
GC
These will show larger if opening them in a new tab/window
The short ones to one side are less than 20" blades and have a crossed hatch grip. Two on the other side have spadroon blades and are of two lengths, These are like the regular army nco and musician blades of the civil war. The one in the scabbard is silvered and as mostly worn off of the hilt parts, has been restored witn Silver Secret. JAX hs a similar product that plates through low galvanic deposition with ground silver in solution.
I have been tending a thread I began last year elsewhere and there have been many discoveries.
http://www.swordforum.com/forums/showthread.php?104816-Early-Ames-And-Other-s-Militia-NCO-Patterns
These are fun for me to collect in concentrating on the early Ames pattern of these and acquisition cost has been very modest. They are somewhat iconic and many fraternal orders use quite similar looks (and entire swords at times).
It can be a little difficult to find the real bargains but even the later types from after the ACW can be a very economical way to begin collecting antiques.
Cheers
GC
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