Description
This is a relatively scarce example of what used to be called the Civil War Marine officer sword but later research showed it actually was produced AFTER the war ended, 1866-1877. It is identical to the US Model 1850 Infantry officer pattern but has a leather grip (not shagreen) and an upper mount for fitment with an over the shoulder sling, as Marines wore. The Marines adopted the mamaluke pattern for officers well after the Civil War–the NCO’s had a sword similar to the US Model 1840 pattern for non commissioned officers but the officers carried the M1850 pattern. The same basic M1850 pattern is used today by Marines, but with a far more narrow blade–and carried by NCO’s.
Most of the USMC swords were contracted to Horstmann of Philadelphia, as this example was. The blade is etched with standard military motifs PLUS a bold “USMC” on the left side of the blade!
