This saber is very rare and in great condition. The engraved brass scabbard features a South Carolina Palmetto tree (perhaps more of a palm, from its height) rising from a trophy of arms featuring crossed spears, flags, and shield. The obverse ricasso of the blade is etched “A.W. Spies / Warranted,” indicating Ames supplied the sword to Adam W. Spies, a well-known military goods dealer based in New York. The sword also bears on the quillon disk the W.S. inspection mark of U.S. Inspector William Smith, whose mark appears also on the Ames dragoon sabers supplied to Texas in January 1840. Thillmann notes the rarity of the pattern: “Between the needs of the regular army officers and militia officers, Ames produced only a small number of model 1833 Dragoon officer’s sabers. They are among the most difficult sabers for sword collectors to find” (CW Cav and Art sabers, 60.) As a prewar South Carolina officer’s saber this also qualifies as a secondary Confederate sword.

The guard is gilt brass and the grip is sharkskin with dragoon twist gilt wire binding. The guard consists of two branches on the obverse, a small branch on the reverse, and the knucklebow is slotted for a sword knot.  The pommel is the standard 1833 configuration 4-step pommel rather than the rounded birdshead form used on the direct S.C. state contract, which is not unexpected on an officer’s private purchase and is paralleled on one of the few other examples of an SC 1833 dragoon officer’s saber, once in the Hoffman collection and illustrated by Thillmann (p.63,) which also shows a peened blade tang like this one. The grip hilt has the standard backstrap along the grip.

The blade is the standard quill-back form, etched on the obverse with geometric and floral motifs at the bottom with “A.W. Spies / Warranted” in an arc above. Ames did not etch their own address, certainly by agreement with the retailer, though there is no doubt about the maker from the design elements, inspection mark, etc. Following that is a stand of arms with shield, drum, spears, etc., with a tall liberty cap on banner pole rising prominently from the middle. Leafy branches then extend up to an Ames style American eagle with a U.S. shield on its chest flourishing and E Pluribus Unum ribbon (the motto is needle etched and workman ran out of space for the “unum.”) Large crossed arrows above are followed by bound leafy branches and floral elements that finish the panel. The reverse has geometric and floral elements extending up to the tall figure of an American Indian in feathered headdress, usually identified as Tecumseh, but carrying a recurved bow and quiver of arrows instead of a tomahawk. Above him a tall pole with Liberty Cap extends from a crossed arrow quiver and other arms, entwined with flowering branches and vines, some knotted by ribbons and forming a wreath.

The scabbard is brass, originally gilt to match the hilt, mounted with a flat throat cut out for the quill-back blade, two ring bands, and drag. It is plain on the reverse and deeply engraved on the obverse. The ring bands are bordered by an arch filled with crosshatching formed by curved lines and tipped with symmetrical rococo raffles. These point up and down from each ring band. Between the two ring bands is an American eagle with raised wings perched on a globe, with the tip of arrows held in one claw showing, a fairly common militia motif. The drag blade has two incised border lines and the tip of the scabbard has an inward facing lacy border with center engraved as a dense flat weave. Just below the lower ring mount is a prominent, tall Palmetto tree rising from a trophy of arms formed by crossed, furled flags, spear, and drums, with a slanted oval shield, the bottoms of the poles and entwined flags extending from the bottom.

The condition is about excellent. The hilt retains about 30 percent of its gilt finish, mostly on the guard branches, with some patinated brass showing at rubbed areas. The grip is very good, but does show a small patch of gray material matching the sharkskin inlet at the pommel at a natural wear spot from holding the sword. The scabbard has a mellow brass patina and the engraving is crisp. The blade pad is likely a replacement. The blade itself is smooth metal, good edge and point, bright, with no appreciable gray spotting, and etching on a very light frosting that is fully visible throughout.

This is a very scarce sword in very desirable condition that would qualify as a centerpiece in many collections. They do not come around often.    [sr] [ph:L]

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