Posted 13 years ago
Dr_Rambow
(88 items)
This came out of the Grandparent's attic. My father always thought it was his father's Marine dress sword, or some such. The development they live in was only build post war, so no one really knows where this thing came from.
I don't know any family history that goes back far enough for this to be a family piece (seems everyone came over from Germany at the end of the 19th century, or sometime pre Great War). Might just be something someone picked up and decided to keep, which is far less interesting.
In any case, I love it! Have it hanging proudly on the wall.
This might interest you, not sure if you found a makers mark or not.
http://www.cowanauctions.com/auctions/item.aspx?ItemId=14548
Well, that's a M1860 carvery sabre, do I don't know what good it'll do me :D
Here's a link to an image of the maker mark side of the blade. Some rust has done away with most of the fairly light stamping.
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/3098/p1280046.jpg
I can definitely make out the "#ASS." (haha) at the bottom, the # representing a strong vertical element (M would make the most sense, but I can't see most of it). The line above that is still a mystery to me. The last and only two letters I can read are "LE" at the end of the word.
"MM" is an inspector mark for "M. Moulton".
I cannot decipher the maker either. The two big "MASS" makers are Ames and Roby. Is there any chance the "LE" is "EE" and the end of "Chicopee" and therefore an Ames product?
Scott
Never mind, I pulled out the old jewelers piece and took another look. The bottom line is obviously "MASS.", but the line before that was the real question. It appears the three letters on the end are "OPE" and half a letter on the end, possibly another E. That can only be one word (in this context), which would be CHICOPEE. That would mean Ames Mfg Co (that part of the mark is either long gone or never there from a bad stamping).
Ah yes Scottvez, you beat me to it! The text is tricky on this, you can see the "stalk" or "backbone" of the letter very clearly, but kinda have to guess whats attached to it in most cases.
Glad to help out Todd.
Scott
What you have is a Model 1840 Light Artillery Saber. Manufactured by the Ames Mfg Co, Chicopee, Mass. In 1864.
The MM is a US Inspector's mark. MM is M. Moulton. Which is odd because he was a revolver inspector. But, there it is, on an artillery saber. Go figure!