Us sword Boston 1888, i dont know the pattern

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Jan 5, 2021
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Hello, I have a sword on which is written Boston 1888 with an iron scabbard. I have done some research and I have concluded that it is not an infantry or navy model from the Civil War. It may be an import but there are no markings to confirm this. Thank you for helping me with the identification.
 
Welcome aboard. Upload the images to a third party host and share links to the images.

Identification can't really occur with what little information you are sharing. No one really wants to play twenty questions, or blind mans bluff, so it is really up to you to fill in some blanks. Simple stuff like dimensions. Curved or straight. Cruciform, shell or branched guard. Where is the Boston 1888 located on the sword? Fancy or plain?

How many times has my car had its oil changed?

Pictures would be a good start.

Cheers
GC
 
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Marcel's Album

I'm uploading some of these for you. Take a close look at the scabbard fittings and tell me if you see any remnants of leather in the gaps. If so, there was once leather over the steel body of the scabbard. I have a wild eyed guess but I'd have to dig a bit in some archives from forums.

It may have been for an officer of the Boston
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company
and https://www.facebook.com/AHAC1638/

I am familiar with two patterns that were bought in quantities for the general members for parade and that were kept in a store room/armory but I have read of a third that some officers purchased. The general form is of the US m1850 foot officer swords, which in turn were copies of the French mle1845. If there is indication that it was once leather on the scabbard body (it looks it), that would be my wild ass guess but with reasoning. The decorative blade etching is very muddy but complete. It looks like it had been scrubbed a lot to remove surface rust. You might want to contact the organization to see if it rings a bell. It was also possibly for another post ACW military association (there were many) or fraternal.

PXL_20210105_234920787.jpg PXL_20210105_234920787.jpg PXL_20210105_234930109.jpg PXL_20210105_234933368.MP.jpg PXL_20210105_234936507.jpg PXL_20210105_235011753.jpg PXL_20210105_235018326.jpg PXL_20210105_235022367.MP.jpg PXL_20210105_235024872.jpg PXL_20210105_235032496.jpg PXL_20210105_235035242.jpg

I don't believe it to be a fairly modern reproduction. The grip likely was also covered with leather and wound with twisted wire. Not fish skin, as there are too many grooves for that. Contacting the Ancient and Horrible guys is worth giving them a shout. The Boston 1888 is an etch (imo) and not done with an electric pencil. It fits in a level of presence that would have been parade worthy. I don't quickly spot where it might have been made, or who was responsible. I'll check some old catalogs and discussions when I get a chance.

Cheers
GC

PS
If you are a dealer, I want 5% of the sale and you could donate some of the proceeds to this board. ;)
 
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This link isn't working. The reason I was thinking leather is that I have an example of a militia sword and aside from the remnants, there is distinctive rust from the adhesive. It would also fit the Ancient&Horrible variants

Justice.jpg

I still haven't looked in the Ames catalog reprint, or the Schuyler, Hartley & Graham catalog but did browse through another 19th century catalog to no avail. I'll be back at the desk and bookshelf tomorrow and look through those other two. German stuff before the 1890s was often unmarked. IIRC, it was England that first demanded origin markings but the US tariff law was much later (1930s).

It can't hurt to ping the AHAC guys. I did note the blued section in this photo.

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No worries on the collector aspect, I am a sword junkie myself. I just see so many hit and run ID threads that I get a bit jaded about it.

Cheers
GC
 
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