Here is an original example of an Ames 1862-dated government naval boarding. Blade measures 26” long, 1¼” wide at the ricasso and has a flat back with a single, wide, unstopped fuller. Blade is bright and has been cleaned and sharpened leaving fine-lined scruffs running in various directions with a couple of minute nicks on the blade edge. On the reverse ricasso is the date “1862” while the obverse ricasso bears a thin maker’s four-line address that reads “MADE BY / AMES MFG Co / CHICOPEE / MASS” all with in the scroll pattern. “MASS” is worn away and other stampings visible but light due to the “cleaning.”  Brass hilt, often referred to as a ‘soup ladle’ guard, is a rounded cup of heavy sheet brass riveted to the knucklebow and provides hand protection to the user. The knucklebow is deeply stamped “ENTERPRISE”. Guard wears a mellow brass patina. Inside top edge of the quillon is stamped “14M / 98” which are thought to be rack position numbers on the ship. The boarding cutlass was derived from the French pattern of 1833, often referred to as a “cullere a pot” or more commonly called the “soup ladle” weapon. Cutlass retains its leather washer. The carved wooden handle is wrapped with original black bridle leather that is in worn condition with small spots of missing finish. The grips have none of its original double-twisted brass wire wrap.

Original leather scabbard body, which measures 26 ½” long, is solid but is no longer rigid. A copper drag has been added. Likewise the belt stud has been replaced with one mounted on a copper collar. The copper rivets that are visible are tight along the seam.

The fifth USS Enterprise, a barque-rigged screw sloop, was launched 13 June 1874 at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine, and commissioned 16 March 1877. Enterprise's spent years on surveying operations on the Mississippi, Amazon, and Madeira Rivers.  On 1 October 1878 off the coast of Brazil, Seaman Thomas Smith rescued a fellow sailor from drowning, for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor.  Over the years she was decommissioned and recommissioned three times. Enterprise’s final duty was as a training and practice ship at the United States Naval Academy and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.  Enterprise was sold on 1 October 1909.

A Civil War naval cutlass with its accompanying leather scabbard. [jet] [ph:L]

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