Presented to Captain Horace A. Sprague of the 13^th New York State Militia was this German-imported, silver mounted, high-grade foot officer’s sword and scabbard. The Model 1850 sword specimen was a gift to Sprague in 1857 by members of then Company B, 13^th New York National Guard Regiment of Coast Artillery from Brooklyn. On April 26, 1861, the forty year old Sprague was commissioned a Captain into Co B, 13^th Regiment, a three-months regiment changed to infantry where he served at Annapolis and Baltimore, MD until mustered out on August 6, 1861. Later, on May 28, 1862, he mustered into the same unit again at Suffolk, VA for three-months as part of the Federal 7^th AC. Sprague mustered out of service in Brooklyn, NY on Sept 12, 1862. He returned to Brooklyn, married, his occupation was listed as a ‘gentleman.’ His wife later gained a military pension when the soldier died June 9, 1875. Sprague’s presentation is engraved on his brass mounted scabbard and reads “Presented to / Capt. H. A. Sprague / by the / National Guard / of Brooklyn / Feby 1857.”

Sprague’s foot officer’s sword made by the sword making dynasty of Gebruder Weyersburg in Solingen, Prussia and imported by the retailor Horstmann of Philadelphia, PA. Sword measures a total of 36½” long, and features very handsome German-silver grips, ornately embellished with detailed floral engravings. The large, brass, single band hilt and knucklebow are also cast with detailed floral motifs. Phrygian-style brass pommel heavily decorated with an ornately cast brim.

The steel blade, slightly curved, measures 30½” long and has a 22” long wide stopped fuller with a 14” long narrow fuller on both flats. Obverse flat exhibits very fine etching that starts at the stamped King’s Head ricasso, continues to the highly detailed ‘spreadwinged eagle’, which is followed with a floral scrolls to within 11” of the blade tip. Reverse flat shows the maker’s mark of “W. H. Horstmann / & Sons / Philadelphia” etched at the ricasso with the same floral motif as the opposite flat. It continues to the etched block letters “U. S.” followed with floral and military motifs. Displayed on the back of the blade near the hilt the maker’s name is the etched mark “IRON PROOF. Blade wears a light gray sheen with few, very light scattered spots of light pitting. Handsome silver mounted grips are tight.

The scabbard is made of dark sharkskin and features all brass furniture which includes two ornate carry mounts, two, ornate, stationary brass loops (no rings) on both mounting bands, and a large, slippered brass drag. Upper mounting band surface bears the jeweler-engraved presentation as noted above. A weak crease point on the scabbard is 2” up from the drag.

This officer’s presentation sword and scabbard with a New York provenance is a great collectible. Comes with the soldier’s military records from the National Archives in Washington, DC.  [ra]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS,

CLICK ON ‘CONTACT US’ AT THE TOP OF ANY PAGE ON THE SITE,

THEN ON ‘LAYAWAY POLICY’.

THANK YOU!