Description
This is a fine example of a very rare sword known used as early as 1778 with a stamped blade marking of Demsey. The sword itself is closer to the early 1760’s in form, but Demsey marked examples are generally noted to have been sold no earlier than 1778. Most of the blades are thought to have been manufactured in either Ireland or England and shipped to the US where they were mounted.
It is classified by advanced collectors to be a pattern called the Baltimore or Philadelphia school, 1770-1785, and fits snugly in the American Revolutionary War era. The Lionhead and component parts, including the one surviving mount, are made of silver. About 2/3 of the original leather scabbard remains. It once had a silver chain guard which is long gone at this point and the sword was once in the collection of noted Revolutionary War author and historian George Neumann.
