Navy officers sword??? NEW PHOTOS

[brad2008]

i picked this up over the summer and researched it but im not sure about the handle..........crocidile skin handle??? ....blade isnt engraved and no name on the carrier and looks to be from the 60-70's ....... sheath is in ok condition and the hand grip has little bumps all over it .?
paid $25

what do you guys think?

 

[horseclover]

A nice deal at that price. If it is not plastic, than the grip is likely ray skin or sharkskin. If you can describe what you read as the maker (on the blade down by the guard) the retailer or make may be a way to better date the piece. The hard shell case for the sword probably puts it to later years. There may well be a retailer/maker name on the case as well.

The following link can describe it better than my paraphrasing from several sources. The blades have shrunk in width since the pattern started back before the American Civil War.

http://navalswords.com/

Tuite and Rankin are two book authors/books worth looking for if you are keeping it and interested in naval stuff.

Clearer pictures of everything may help as well. If the case is all leather with a padded leather handle, it could predate the trend of plastics in the sixties and on.

Cheers

GC

 

[brad2008]

im gonna get new photos soon............

the mark reads ''Hilborn & Hamburger INC. NEW YORK, made in Solingen Germany........ the case is leather with padded leather handle and is marked Hilborn-Hamburger INC ...VITALON

 

[horseclover]

Vitalon means it is a vinyl plastic that replicates leather. H&H was my first guess in seeing the case but others sold similar with the swords. Likely 1960s or later for both items. If the grip is more or less stark white, also likely plastic. A nice package that is not in great demand but over time should appreciate. The officer's name can increase interest.

Iirc, the company was still retailing swords fairly late in the 20th century but those are stories you may care to chase down with a bit of legwork.

Cheers

GC

 

[asemery]

Here is my US Navy Officer's sword. I purchased it in 1965 on completiing OCS in Newport, R.I. A major expense for me at the time. I think I wore it a total of 5 times. There is a black leather carrying case, not shown, that has the words GEMSCO and VITALON printed in gold in the inside flap.

 

[horseclover]

Very nice and with its belt and hangers along with the knot, all in pristine condition.

The 1852 went through a couple of blade width reductions and is the US adoption of a French pattern infantry sword. Quite similar to the 1850 US foot officer hilt but with the USN added to the face of the guard. Preceding the 1852 was only one other model of regulation which was developed by Ames in 1841.

The 1852 remains the longest lived regulation pattern for the US aside from the Marine mameluke saber (which went through a hiatus for decades in the 19th century).

The naval swords site is gone but available through archive.org

Cheers

GC