AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN SWORDS 69 



obverse with the head of Mars in an oval surrounded by military 

 trophies; and the reverse is decorated with a female figure of Vic- 

 tory standing. The pommel is in the form of a female head sur- 

 mounted by a helmet, the lower portion of which is set with rubies 

 and diamonds. The knuckle guard consists of a heavy gilt strip, the 

 center of which is decorated with a medallion bearing the head of 

 Medusa and terminating above the blade in a quillon bearing on the 

 end a ram's head. The counterguard is formed of a large oval 

 shield bearing the figure of Ulysses strangling the lion. The gold- 

 mounted scabbard is decorated with three mounts, two of which 

 bear oak-leaf designs and the third a laurel spray. Between the first 

 two is the inscription : " Presented to Lieut. Genl. U. S. Grant by 

 his friends through the Metropolitan Fair in aid of the United 

 States Sanitary Commission, New York, April 23, 1864," and be- 

 tween the second and third the legend: "Upon your sword sit 

 laureled Victory." ^^ 



The presentation sabers in the National Museum collection in- 

 clude one that was presented to General Grant in 1873 by the Re- 

 public of Spain. In general design this weapon -° is similar to the 

 regulation Spanish Cavalry saber of the period. The blade, which 

 is wide and heavy, is slightly curved with a broad shallow groove at 

 the upper end and a diamond-shaped point. The obverse is deco- 

 rated with floral and scroll designs in silver and gold relief work on 

 a gold background inscribed " Belmont, Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg, 

 Mission Ridge, Spottsylvania, Richmond." The reverse is similarly 

 decorated with a scroll design inscribed " Let us have peace." The 

 grip, which is made of plain ivory, is wound with 20 vertical turns 

 of gold wire and surmounted by a metal strip decorated with silver 

 floral and trophy designs in high relief on a gold backgi-ound. The 

 guard is formed of a heavy basket-shaped piece of silver plate 

 through the center of which the blade passes. This portion of the 

 hilt is decorated with the United States coat of arms surrounded by 

 floral designs, the whole in open work of an exquisite finish. The 

 scabbard is made of steel with two mounts decorated in gold and 

 silver with floral designs.^^ 



SWORD OWNED BY MAJ. GEN. JOHN R. BROOKE 



An interesting sword of the period of the Civil War in the Na- 

 tional Museum collection is one that was presented to Maj. Gen. 

 John R. Brooke, United States Army, in 1862 by the noncommis- 



i»The three swords just described were presented to the United States in 1886 by 

 Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant and William H. Vanderbilt. 



«> Length, 98 cm. Blade, 83 cm. long, 2.8 cm. wide. Marked " Fabrica de Toledo, 



1873 " 



21 This saber was transferred to the National Museum from the United States Patent 



Office in 1883. PI. 27, fig. 5. 



