1EW  -  FINE AMES ANTIQUE MASONIC SWORD C.1860 or EARLIER  Click thumbnail photos for larger views   SOLD   Exquisite etched decoration is an early style, as is the blade style (flat oval).  Classic cast brass hilt with helmeted head pommel, wedge shaped counterguard and black wood grip with applied brass cross with red cross center.  Mint blade has mirror polish and EXTENSIVE etched designs – most Masonic symbols…couple styles of crosses, banners, mosque, crusader head, and rococo scroll work.  The ricasso is etched with “Ames Mfg. Co./Chicopee/Mass.”.  Solid brass scabbard is also marked "AMES MFG. CO. CHICOPEE MASS", plus engraved with owner’s name “J. E. Goold”.  The owner's initials are also engraved on the ferrule.  The scabbard is nearly covered with hand engraved decoration on face plus two crosses.  Much rococo scroll work.  Traces of silver plating.  Fine.  By a famed military sword dealer from well before the Civil War.  $425

2EW  -  FINE C.1870-80’s MASONIC SWORD  Click thumbnail photos for larger views  SOLD   This is a beautiful specimen.  Solid brass hilt with silver plating.  Helmeted head pommel.  Wedge shaped counterguard.  Black finished wood grip with applied decorations having red cross at center.  Wear to silver.  Tarnished.  Some little dings in grip finish.  Blade about MINT, with few little spots of age stain.  Has owner’s name etched on one side in ornate lettering, “Frank S. Waldron”.  Other side has a large cross. Mirror-like original polish.  Maine dealer's name "J. A. MERRILL & CO. PORTLAND, MAINE" etched at ricasso. This dealer is listed with this particular wording starting in 1870.  Black glossy leather covered scabbard with large brass fittings, hand engraved with large Crusader, red cross, and leafy flourishes.  Leather finish has shallow impressions of drying cracks.  Mounts have worn, tarnished silver plate.   $325

3EW  -  WWII TWO-BLADED POCKET KNIFE to be worn on a cord or chain.  Click on thumbnail photos for larger views  Closed it is 2 1/2" long, and has a blade which folds out each end.  Grips are simulated mother-of-pearl.  One face has National Emblem affixed.  One end also has loop for attaching to chain.  Excellent condition.  No blade markings.  $45

4EW  -  FASCINATING, ENTIRELY HAND MADE SWORD - U.S. MODEL 1840 ARTILLERY SABER  Click on thumbnail photos for larger views  Appears to date C.1840-70.  Has been hanging in my office for at least 35-40 years.  Possibly made as a theater prop or as an elaborate toy by a very indulgent father.  Almost 37" long.  Iron knucklebow with ancient gold painted surface.  Black painted grip is wrapped with flat iron wire with dark brown patina.  Pommel appears to be gold painted wood.  The curved iron blade is 5/32" thick and 31 1/4" long.  It has ancient silver painted surface.  The scabbard is wood with the same silver paint, all showing considerable age.  No rust, just some thin age stain.  Has serviceable suspension rings with old gold paint.  Thin scabbard wood is generally very good with couple cracks.  As I write this, another remote possibility occurs to me to explain the sword's origin - perhaps it could have been made by some backwoods Civil War soldier who needed a sword in the early days of the War when few weapons were available.  During our 50 year career dealing in militaria, specializing in Civil War, we did on the rarest occasions, encounter crude hand made Southern knives, and swords with wooden scabbards.  Whatever the origin, the sword has a lot of character and good looks.  It's actually a rather nice piece of American folk art, regardless of what its original purpose was.  It is heavy enough to be a combat sword, and in my opinion, too detailed to be a toy.  Whatever...we've thought it neat enough a homemade sword to be displayed for decades in my office.  $375

5EW  -  HISTORIC EARLY AMERICAN MUSKET BAYONET C.1795-1808  Click on thumbnail photos for larger views  Came out of Virginia.  Would have seen combat in the War of 1812, as well as the Civil War.  Some Southern (Confederate) troops were issued these flint muskets early in the War, and many converted to percussion, likewise seeing combat.  A well aged number 13 in thin old paint is seen on the blade...a virtually certain indicator that the bayonet was once part of a public display.  Since that time, likely after the Civil War, the bayonet clearly went into damp storage causing the metal to take on a thick coating of fairly smooth rust.  A fine, stout relic which has seen considerable combat, and will make a nice addition to a relic collection/display.  19" long overall.  Shown as No. 1, page 198 of Janzen's notebook "Bayonets".  $95

27EW  -  SUPER WWII G.I.’s HAND MADE COMBAT KNIFE  More Photos, Click Here  Sale Pending  Great numbers of these were made during the War because side knives were in serious short supply.  Thus, the great ingenuity of the American soldier and sailor went to work and produced a grand variety of knives, each with great individuality.  Here’s a good one.  13” long overall.  7 ¾” flat, heavy bowie blade with good contours. Massively hilted with cast aluminum counterguard/bolster and chunky pommel.  Grip is made of stacked phenolic or similar black material, spaced with sheet aluminum washers.  Heavy knife.  Solid.  Blade is lustrous grey.  Has some fine original scratches from when it was made.  Heavy original brown leather scabbard laced together.  Shows use but has good original finish.  Snap strap a more recent repair and an unnecessary narrow belt loop was recently added to rear.  Snap strap uses old leather and barely noticeable.  A good collector’s specimen.  $175

36EW  -  HANDSOME & FINE CIVIL WAR SABER BAYONET  More Photos, Click Here   SOLD   Bright 21 ¾" blade retains most original polish, the color most subtly affected by microscopic, transparent speckling from handling.  Also, about 12" of the tip has edge sharpening.  Solid brass hilt about good as new, with the slightest patina.  Hilt is 4 15/16" long, with a bore of 0.810 (just a tad under, measured with a micrometer).  Has a short stud slot and is most like specimen #127 in Hardin's "The American Bayonet".  I don't know which weapon this bayonet went to.  Most look identical, the only differences being usually in specific dimensions.   Reduced to our cost...$295

49EW  -  WAR TROPHY FIGHTING KNIFE/MACHETE FROM THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR & PHILLIPPINE INSURRECTION  More Photos, Click Here   SOLD This is an exceptionally attractive BORONG or vicious fighting knife which most of the Moro natives carried and which caused our soldiers considerable grief, actually justifying the creation and issuance of a more powerful U.S. soldier’s side arm, the legendary Colt .45 semi-automatic.  We have another borong which was removed from the abdomen of a U.S. soldier.  Whole thing is 20 ¾” long, knife in scabbard.  Lovely carved and striped wood grips with dark brass ferrule.  14” long, hand made, classic leaf-shaped blade. Bright with couple insignificant  brown age spots.  Lots of original tool marks.  Handsome scabbard of wood, mostly covered with decoratively woven split reed.  Bottom end has 1” loss of covering and a few splits in the wood.  Upper end on face very handsomely carved and faced with mother-of-pearl, which has a star in circle emblem.  This facing is lost from the reverse side.  A great war relic from a turbulent and world-changing period of our history.  $295

55EW  -  WWII GI-MADE FIGHTING KNIFE  More Photos, Click Here  Shops on post, or on ship turned out thousands of knives of every imaginable description during WWII.  These make a great collection with endless possibilities. Here’s a knife with a distinctive feature whose origin is unknown to me, but which shows up from time to time…the wide, leather-backed counterguard.  15 ¼” long overall.  10” blade.  Long, narrow, with a bowie shaped tip.  Very heavy grip made of stacked leather washers, which grow larger to fit the back of the counterguard. Has a brass pommel cap.  Wish this one had its sheath.  But still a great design.  Blade grey with couple small rust spots.  $85

58EW  -  ONE OF THE MOST UNUSUAL, AND NASTY WWII GI-MADE FIGHTING KNIVES I’VE EVER ENCOUNTERED  More Photos, Click Here  14 ¼” long overall.  8 ¾” blade.  A large and rugged stiletto.  Symmetric double edged blade, very sharp, substantially thick, and equally wide its entire length.  At the ricasso, it narrows to become entirely round as it enters the heavy black phenolic grip. Perhaps once part of something else, or modified, it makes a perfect grip for the blade.  Both blade and handle show fine finishing marks.  In its original heavy brown leather sheath, riveted together, and with belt hook on top.  For a knife collector, this is a great one.  $275

73EW  -  HEAVY AND IMPRESSIVE WWII SHOP-MADE G.I. FIGHTING KNIFE  More Photos, Click Here  Quite a handsome, heavy hilt.  Eight sided aluminum hilt, entirely cross-hatched by machine.  Precise grooving.  Shows considerable remaining black finish to hilt.  Thick brass counterguard and 7” long single edged blade still retaining 60-70% original thin fire blue. Extreme tip has tiny chip out – less than 1/8”.  Fine heavy brown leather scabbard.  Adjustable safety strap.  Leather nearly good as new, with minor age patina and small rubs.  Knife is 12” long overall.  I love these hand made knives with character. Also has the name "A. J. Pisko" etched on the blade.   $150

87EW  -  VERY TYPICAL WWII G.I.-MADE FIGHTING KNIFE  More Photos, Click Here  Another way of saying shop-knife…which were turned out in great variety and profusion by G.I.’s who had access to any kind of machine or repair shop.  Knife is 10¾” long.  Heavy grip is made of typical stacked washers made of a maroon red phenolic, interspersed with brass washer, and steel pommel cap.  Thick brass counterguard.  Nicely shaped, constant thickness steel blade.  Blade bright, clean, showing some light, original marks from its shaping.  Original dark brown sheath showing nice patina of age.  Strong and flexible.  Few rubs.  Face has a punch mark border line around large, less than professional initials scratched in.  Classic G.I.   $135