Beschreibung:

31" unfullered spear-point blade, 1" wide at ricasso. 5.5" brass hilt with 4.625" cross guard terminating in acorn finals, olive-shaped pommel cap cast with "Liberty" and lightning bolts on one side and an American shield motif on the other. Silver grip engraved with spiral grooves, folding guard with spread-winged eagle and shield motif, plain folding counter guard. Obverse ricasso etched with four-line WH Hortsmann address, the balance with foliate, nautical and patriotic motifs. Reverse etched with more foliate patterns, a US eagle with motto in ribbon, and a fouled anchor surrounded by a panoply of arms. Brass mounted leather scabbard with engraved lines on mounts and a shell motif frog hook on the obverse of the throat mount. This is the early pattern of Revenue Cutter Service officer's sword, the predecessor to the Revenue Marine Service which would eventually become the Coast Guard. An attractive and scarce pre-Civil War pattern sword. Condition: Very good to fine. Blade mostly a dull gray color with nearly all etching clear and visible, but without polish or frosting. Some lightly scattered surface oxidation, minor discoloration and scattered pinpricking in present. Hilt very good, silver lightly cleaned and brass mounts with a dull bronze tone. Scabbard very good, leather with some minor loss of surface finish, mounts very good with upper and middle mounts slightly loose.