Historical Sword Help...

[Designgirl3503]

I am looking for some help about restoring or just information on a sword. My husband is currently deployed with the army and I thought I’d get this sword that belonged to one of his one of his grandfathers restored as a welcome home gift.

I brought the sword to a place that does this type of work, and the owner said he’d clean up the tip for me, he wasn’t interested in touching the rest of it, and that is all he could really do for it.

The sword is very pretty. I can try to describe the sword, bear with me, I not a sword person.

It has an eagle head pommel? that is covered in gold leaf, the grip is some sort of carved bone most likely ivory, the guard? Has five little spheres on it and wraps around it sort of a fancy wire type design, all of this is also covered in gold leaf. The blade itself is etched on both sides, one side has R. I Browne and Co, Boston with a climbing floral gold foil filigree that is on top of some sort of blue coating? The other side has the same filigree design with the gold on blue except this side says warrant on the scroll work, I’m assuming this is for warrant officer. The sword has a leather scabbard that it’s literally falling apart, its brown with a single butt joint stitch running up the back. I’ve search and search the internet I haven’t seen anything quite like it, so I’m lacking more info.

The only info that I have/ been able to find on the sword is that R I Browne can be found on infantry officer swords in 1800. I also know that my husband comes from a prominent family line with ties to Boston and New York, last name Lowell, and the sword was found in a family farm house in upstate New York about 5 years ago before the property was sold, it was given to my husband because he’s the only one left in the military. The civil and/or Spanish American war gets tossed around a lot when the sword is brought up. Also, very obvious this sword didn’t see any action.

I’d like to have the sword restored as much as possible, I’d also like a new scabbard built for it, if any one knows someone who does that, it would probably be informative to know if this is the type of thing that should be hanging in a gallery instead of living room or if maybe this is the wrong approach and I shouldn’t be touching the sword at all...

As with most things with my husbands family I’m sure the sword has a long colorful history, just seems to have been forgotten along the way....

Any insight is helpful...

Thanks,
k

 

[skyblue]

Might not be a good idea to restore the sword and get rid of all that history.

 

[Designgirl3503]

Might not be a good idea to restore the sword and get rid of all that history.

Okay, Maybe I can just conserve the sword? Any suggestions on how I can slow down the fact that the leather is falling apart or just maintain the sword in a way that doesn’t make it seem so “neglected?”

I’m trying to figure out some of the history, do you know any books that could explain some of the markings? I’ve got the family searching through records to see if we can figure out whose sword it could have been...

 

[Triton]

In order to really help out to determine what the sword is we really need plctures, although it may be that one of our resident experts on such things horseclover may be able to help from the description alone. That aside whomever you took the sword to, told you the right thing. Polishing it up might well destroy any historical value. Please do not have that done at least until we can figure out what you have. As for scabbards there are custom makers for such things. A quick Google search for "custom scabbards" should lead you to what you seek.

 

[horseclover]

Welcome aboard.

I would really need to see some pictures to offer much more information than you have already shared. Images can be easily shared by uploading to imgur.com and then copying share links to post here. Alternatively, you can send images to me at gcleeton@gmail.com

I have an image bank uploaded. Let's see if it will link. It is one of my more recent clipboards. The varieties of eaglehead pommel swords are somewhat infinite. If you can copy an image link from my files of a sword exactly like your's, that is another alternative but there are so many quite alike that are truly not. Let me know if you can access this link. There are many folders and thousands of images.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1R7gCmCnldPjOKBdprrlNpu-3FaL-GPzd

A WARRANT or WARRANTED on the blade is a proof mark of sorts and not indicating a warrant officer. The blade itself either British or German manufacture and there is a likelihood the entire sword was imported by the Boston company. I will look in a couple of books. Five ball hilts were generally before the 1840s and most before the 1830s but the trend continued.

I hate to say I don't like playing blind man's bluff but that is a reality. I will hope to look up Browne for you and if uploading images to a host seems impossible, then try to get some to me at my email.

As far as leather conservation, let's do nothing until I can see it. If all the fittings are there and all the leather is there but dusty red, gently using a leather treatment such as Pecards antique leather dressing. It will darken leather.

Do nothing to the blue&gilt on the blade aside from gently wiping with Windex and a soft cloth. I prefer clean and dry, not oil on these and Renaissance Wax something nerds use but I would not. The b&g is quite fragile.

One of my successes with some re-silvering and scabbard feeding of Pecards. Not for the faint at heart.



Cheers
GC

 

[Triton]

Thanks Glen. Hope our original poster follows up.