Original U.S. Civil War Rare State Issued Model 1860 Naval Cutlass with Rack & Anchor Markings Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice example of the rarely seen U.S. Naval Cutlass, as used from 1860-1865. The boarding cutlass was derived from the French pattern of 1833, often referred to as a “cuillere a pot,” or more commonly called the “soup ladle” weapon. It features all brass mounts, a wood with leather wrapped sword grip, and a nice blade. From what we can tell, the grip was re-wrapped at some point, and the standard twisted brass wire wrapping was added as well. Normally these were never wire wrapped from the factory, so it definitely looks to have seen long service and possible arsenal service.

The curved 25 1/2 inch blade’s ricaso is unmarked, except for the Navy “Anchor” proof over P, the naval inspector’s marks.

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P

Most of these were made by the Ames Mfg. Company, so this was most likely made by them, and cleaning and re-profiling the blade removed the often shallow maker markings. The absence of the U.S. Arsenal inspector markings indicates this was issued at the state level, and not to a Federal unit.

The blade is in very good shape, however it has definitely been cleaned and polished over the years, and may have even been plated at some point. It is now partly bright, showing light staining overall, as well as marks that indicate it was buffed and polished in the past. It was most likely then coated with a preservative, which over time dried out, leading to the very interesting oxidation pattern on the blade.

The underside of the guard is marked with rack number 24 M / 273. The guard as a whole looks like it may have at one time been lacquered to improve the appearance, however most has worn off, and still retains that finish to a large extent. The finish is somewhat porous, which has allowed the brass to mature to a lovely golden color.

Offered in very nice collector’s condition, original Civil War Naval Cutlasses are getting harder and harder to find every year! Ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 25 1/2″
Blade Style: Curved Single Edge w/ Fuller
Overall length: 31 3/8“
Basket dimensions: 4 1/2″ width x 5” length