This Model 1860 U.S. Light Cavalry Saber was by David Millard on contract with the U.S. government in 1862, making it a candidate for use in most of the major campaigns and engagements of the war. Millard sabers are well made and their early-war date and relatively small number, make them especially desirable. The hilt has a nice, even, medium tone to the brass. The black leather grip wrap and wire binding are very good, with the leather showing just minor scuffing under an old polish. The leather pad under the guard is in place. The blade has a good point and edge with no nicks. The metal is smooth and bright showing just some small, thin gray spots. The markings are sharp: The reverse ricasso is stamped in a circle, “D.J. MILLARD / CLAYVILLE N.Y The obverse ricasso is stamped “US / CEW / 1862,” indicating its inspection and acceptance. The scabbard is complete, with throat, rings and drag all in place. It shows no dings or dents, and has good, smooth metal with original brown finish for the most part, but with some pitting near the bottom, starting from about three inches above the drag, likely from standing upright on a damp floor for a dozen decades or so.

Although termed the Model 1860 by collectors, this pattern was adopted in very late 1856, with the first swords produced in 1857 as a lighter version of the Model 1840 saber. David J. Millard was a prosperous maker of edge tools and farm implements, running the Paris Furnace Company in Clayville, near Utica, New York, who decided to get into the sword-making business when the war began. He brought in a German cutler to help him gear up and obtained a contract for 10,000 light cavalry sabers on 21 December 1861. Production delays forced him to obtain an extension and initially to purchase 500 sabers and something over 1,000 scabbards to meet the terms of his contract, but he successfully completed deliveries in 1862. He did not seek further contracts, but a local business did advertise Tiffany swords using Millard blades in 1863.  [ad][ph:L]

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