US Eagle Head Mounted Artillery Officer’s Sabre, ca. 1805

Featuring the so-called “Bolton-Upson” eagle head pommel, this sword was likely made by Birmingham cutler Richard D. Bolton and imported by Richards, Upson & Co. of New York. The American sword industry was still in its infancy during the early 19th C and so most swords were imports; often from the country which it had recently fought to gain its independence and would soon be at war with again in 1812. This sword features a gilt brass hilt with openwork guard with scalloped edges and integral knucklebow connecting to the eagle head pommel just below the beak. Reeded bone grip with small crack at its base and a repaired chip approx. 1/2" by 3/8" immediately below the pommel; ferrules top and bottom. Deeply curved unmarked broad 28 1/2" blade with wide single full-length fuller. Original black leather scabbard with gilt brass mounts (some damage to leather between the throat and middle band. Hilt retains approximately 80-90% of its original gilding. Blade showing scattered light salt and pepper pitting, signs of lamination, and several shallow edge nicks. A very similar sword is illustrated in “The American Eagle- Pommel Sword” by Andrew Mowbray, Fig. 11B. These early eagle head sabres rarely survive with their original leather scabbards.