US Eagle Head Infantry Officer’s Sword, ca. 1830

Description

Featuring silver-plated brass hilt, consisting of reverse scroll quillon and ornate P-guard
connecting to the throat of the standing open-beaked eagle head pommel. Reeded ivory
grip with silver-plated base ferrule. Straight single-edged 31″ blade with full-length fuller;
double acid-etched with floral decoration and stands of arms over two-thirds of its length.
Black leather scabbard with silver-plated brass mounts, including drag, middle band with
carry ring, and throat with frog stud and carry ring. Though unsigned, this is almost certainly
the work of Frederick William Widmann (178?-1848), a German immigrant who came to
Philadelphia in 1816. Already trained as a sword cutler, with connections to the Solingen
blade market, he set up shop in Philadelphia, where he worked until his death in 1848.
Very fine condition, the hilt retaining nearly all of its silver plating and the grip excellent, with
no chips or cracks; pommel and guard slightly loose. Blade is fine, with clear etching and a
few small patches of light pitting and staining. Scabbard very good, leather complete and
unbroken, with some cracks; mounts showing wear, with some silver loss. Overall length 36
½”, not including scabbard. A sword with nearly identical knuckle guard and similar
pommel, attributed to Widmann, ca. 1825, is described and illustrated in “The American
Eagle-Pommel Sword”, Fig. 45.B, by E. Andrew Mowbray