Ames M1832 short swords with hilts by Samuel Huse are considered scarce. Not only do they represent the earliest years of the pattern’s production, leading to many being used up in long, continued service, but the interior design of the hilt, not rectified until Ames took over production of the hilts as well as the blades, led to many (Thillmann says “most”) being rejected or condemned.

The pattern was modeled on the French 1816 sword for foot artillerymen, but was designated in the U.S. in the early years also for infantry sergeants and likely carried by musicians as well. Ames accepted the first U.S. contract on June 5, 1832, for 2,000, manufacturing the blades and subcontracting the brass hilts and scabbard mounts to his brother-in-law Samuel Huse, who had a foundry in Newburyport, MA.”

Of the 2,000 contracted for in 1832, 600 were delivered by December of that year, and 1400 by March 1833 (Thillmann apparently misprints the number as 1200: see also Hickox.) A second contract for 2,000, granted February 21, 1833, would also have produced some 1833 dated swords, with 1,100 delivered by July 1833, and the remaining 900 by March 1834. Exactly when Ames stopped using Huse hilts is unclear. Thillmann pictures an 1833 dated example with an improved hilt marked “patent applied for,” suggesting it was some point in that year, but the sword has no US inspection marks, implying it was for commercial sale and it is only in a letter of March 1834, at the tail end of deliveries on his second contract, that Ames addresses the problem and a solution in a letter to the Ordnance Department, suggesting he may have seen fit to use them up through the conclusion of his 1833 contract.

The sword is full length, complete with scabbard and showing a good edge and point. The hilt has an untouched, aged brass patina, with darker areas in the recesses around the feathered grip, but good detail on the pommel eagle, and no dents or deep scratches. The underside of the crossguard is crisply stamped “S. HUSE / NEWBURYPORT” next to flat of the blade on one side and “DT” in script in an oval near the end of crossguard, being the mark of Daniel Tyler, serving as the superintendent of inspection of contract arms.

The blade is a muted silver gray with dark gray age spotting overall and some patches of darker gray pitting near the guard. On one side near the hilt UNITED / STATES / 1833 is visible, with the date very clear, and the upper two lines legible, but not easy to make out. On the other side in the same position the outlines of the right side of the eagle are visible with the N.P AMES / SPRINGFIELD legible below that, though on some of the darker metal.

The scabbard is solid. The brass mounts are in place. The frog button is present on the upper mount. The brass shows the same aged tones as the hilt, mixed with darker age spots. The scabbard body has good color and decent surface showing some age cracks, but no significant flaking or losses, and has a good seam on the reverse.

As Thillmann notes, these were popular swords, and in production for some thirty years, with 20,100 going to the U.S. government on contract, many of which ended up in state hands, and many others purchased on the open market. They are impressive to look at, clearly meant for business, at least at close quarters, and allusions to the Roman Republic by their form probably added to the appeal. This one is early, with a hard to find date and Huse marking, made just three years before the Alamo, and they had a long service history, stretching into the Civil War.  [sr][ph:m]

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