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THBKraft Goldschmidt & Kraft Confederate Cavalry Officer's Sword
About Seller
6270 Este Ave.
Cincinnati , OH 45232
United States
With offices in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Denver, Cowan’s holds over 40 auctions each year, with annual sales exceeding $16M. We reach buyers around the globe, and take pride in our reputation for integrity, customer service and great results. A full-service house, Cowan’s Auctions specializes in Am...Read more
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About Auction
LiveOct 31, 2018
Cowan's is honored to present the Magnificent Sword Collection of William Koch in its two-day firearms, militaria, and American history auction. Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com
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- Lot Description
Kraft Goldschmidt & Kraft Confederate Cavalry Officer's Sword
36" spear point blade with three narrow, central fullers, with the two outside fullers measuring 9.75" and the center fuller 10.5". Massive 6.25" hilt with heavy 3-branch guard and crudely cast pommel cap with acanthus leaf motif. Grooved wood grip with leather cover and 13 wraps of twisted iron wire and distinctive Kraft, Goldschmidt & Kraft brass ferrule behind the guard. Thick leather washers are present on both sides of the guard as well. Blade engraved with panoplies of arms on the reverse, surrounding the two-line Spanish motto: NO ME SAQUES SIN RASON / NO ME EMBAINES SIN HONOR , which translates: "Draw me not without reason, Sheath me not without honor" . The reverse ricasso is marked in script by the blade maker, Schimmelbusch & Joest (ca 1816-1839, Bezdek), with the obverse ricasso marked in script Solingen . Obverse of blade with floral motifs, panoplies of arms and a laurel wreath. Lap seamed metal scabbard with browned finish and brass mounts, including a screw secured brass throat, two brass hanging mounts with suspension rings and a brass, lyre-shaped drag. These massive cavalry officer's sabers were produced in limited quantities by Kraft, Goldschmidt & Kraft of Columia, SC and were based upon the French Model 1816 Cuirassier (Heavy Cavalry) Saber. It is generally believed that the sword design was inspired, if not specifically ordered, by South Carolina cavalry General Wade Hampton, who carried one of these massive sabers himself, as did a number of South Carolina cavalry officers. KG&K apparently imported the surplus cuirassier blades that were at least 25 years old at the time, and hilted them in the French style with the large, flowing 3-branch French heavy cavalry guard, but retained some distinctive KG&K touches like the crudely sand cast acanthus leaf pattern on the pommel cap with a clear mold seam line in the middle, the massive brass ferrule at the front of the grip and the use of very thin twisted wire on the wrap. At least one account referred to these long, straight-bladed sabers as "Crusader like." Only a handful of these massive Confederate cavalry officer's sabers are known to survive in collections today and this is a particularly nice example.
Provenance: From the Sword Collection of William KochVery good. Blade with a mottled and oxidized dark gray over pewter patina, showing some light surface roughness and some very lightly scattered pinpricking. Blade shows some minor nicks along both edges near the tip, which may have been reprofiled during the period of use, possibly shortening the blade about .5". All engraved decoration remains clear and legible, with some light wear. Hilt with a lovely golden patina, showing the typical casting flaws and rough finishing of Confederate brass hilts. A small flawed crack is present on the reverse of the knuckle bow, about 1.25" below the pommel cap. Leather wrap with moderate wear and some minor leather loss, wire remains intact and tight. Scabbard very good as well, retaining traces of browned finish, mixed with a lightly oxidized brown patina, showing a clear lap seam braze line along the bottom reverse edge. Mounts solid and complete, showing casting flaws and some rough finishing, with the same lovely golden patina as the hilt. Middle mount has a wonderful period of use replaced suspension ring made from classic Confederate copper-rich "red brass." A really lovely example of a scarce Confederate cavalry officer's saber in a very nice state of preservation.Condition
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