This minty specimen is an original, imported, Model 1840 type, Civil War officer’s cavalry saber complete with its original steel metal scabbard. Manufactured by the Klingenthal Armory of Klingenthal, Alsace, France, Klingenthal was known for their high-grade, high-quality edged weapons. A Klingenthal saber, enlisted or officer’s blade, was equal to any of the best sabers / swords made at the time.

This transition M40 cavalry saber is an excellent original piece that features a profusely embellished, two branch brass hilt and a handsome, slightly curved, high quality steel blade. Blade measures 36” long, 1.08” wide at the hilt with a 29 ½” long unstopped fuller and 21 ¾” long narrow fuller. The maker’s mark is found on the top flat of the blade in faint French lettering. Reverse ricasso is plain while the obverse ricasso bears two small ‘poincons’ or maker marks, “crown over B” and “crown over D”, both within a small oval. Marks indicate an 1845 time frame for this model of saber.

Both blade flats are un-etched and exhibit a very pleasing, eye-catching shiny bright, polished surface. Only tiny scattered areas of oxidation and no pitting. Blade edge is free of nicks.

The embellished, cast brass hilt is typical of sword hilts on almost all of Solingen-made M1840 cavalry officers’ sabers. With a symmetrical two-branch guard integrated into the knucklebow, the hilt displays the acanthus fan on the inside quillon, a cast floral display on both upper branches, inside and outside, and shows ornate foliate design at the knucklebow / pommel junction. Only a small section of the original brown leather pad or washer remains. Grips are mint condition and employ the typical M1840 grooved wooden handle that is cord wrapped and then covered with gray sharkskin. Grips do not taper into the pommel but show a small ‘hump’ just before the pommel tang. A fine, double-twist, brass gilded wire rests within the grooves with each turn flanked by a single strand of brass gilded wire. Brass wire wrap is excellent, tight and strong with one slightly loose strand near the pommel. Phygerian-style brass pommel cap has a high dome tang with a peened blade tang. Casting detail is profuse and sharp.

Original, imported steel scabbard is in excellent condition and exhibits a pleasingly light patina overall. Has just few scattered, very light storage scuffs and one very small dent on the reverse side near the drag. The obverse side of the scabbard has an engraved decoration of geometrical shapes, hearts, floral and scrollwork. Engraved in a riband between the two mounts is “COL. H. R. FOOTE” in cursive. Scabbard is finished with iron furniture, including the throat, upper and lower ring band, mounts and the drag. Mounts are tight and strong, as are the iron rings. The obverse of the drag is marked “KLINGENTHAL” while the obverse is stamped with a shield and initials.

Much time and effort has been expended to identify who “COL. H. R. FOOTE” was without much success. Several candidates were found.

1.)   There was a Henry Foote who served in the US Paymaster’s Department but he never rose above the rank of Major.

2.)   There was a Colonel Henry R. Foote who shows up in the POW logbook for Fort Lafayette, New York. However no regiment is listed for him and efforts to find him in the National Archives failed. Whether he was staff or a prisoner is not clear.

3.)   Lastly there is a Colonel Henry R. Foote who unsuccessfully tried to start an Ambulance and Sanitary Corps for the state of New York. The NEW YORK TIMES of March 12^th and 13^th talks about the Corps putting on a demonstration at the Academy of Music. No other articles on the organization could be found and “Colonel” Foote does not show up in Union Army records. He may also be the same Colonel Foote who in 1877 was thrown in jail for fraud.

Whoever he was this imported, Klingenthal-manufactured M1840 cavalry officer’s saber with matching scabbard is an quality Civil War specimen most worthy of any Civil War blade display or collection.

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