AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN SWORDS 139 



side of the blade and two on the reverse; and (4) those having 

 guards of basket-shaped plates with two small rectangular open- 

 ings above the blade and three small circular openings on each 

 side of the blade. The sabers of the first type include one marked 

 " Simson & Co. Suhl," and another with a wooden grip decorated 

 with small vertical grooves and a single finger groove, is marked 

 "Karl Eichhorn, Solingen." The second type is represented by a 

 saber marked "x^mberg " ; the third by one marked " Weyersberg, 

 Hischbaum & Cie, Solingen " ; and the fourth by one marked "Alex. 

 Coppel, Solingen." All these weapons ^'' were transferred to the 

 National Museum in 1920 by the War Department. 



RUSSIAN SWORDS 



The National Museum collection includes three Russian Army 

 officers' swords. One of these is of an ornate design. The blade is 

 broad and heavy with a broad central groove and two narrow upper 

 grooves. The obverse is decorated with the monogram "A II " ^^ 

 surmounted by a crown and with two A's stamped near the hilt, and 

 the reverse is decorated with the Russian arms. The brass grip is 

 4-sided and bears 12 parallel vertical grooves and a laurel wreath 

 near the quillons. The pommel is covered with a brass helmet- 

 shaped piece, the lower portion of which is decorated with laurel 

 leaves. The reverse side of the pommel bears a small bronze replica 

 of the decoration of St. Ann, surmounted by a crown, and the tip 

 of the pommel bears the same insignia. The guard consists of a 

 single 4-sided brass strip forming a graceful bow^ below the blade 

 and terminating above in a curved quillon with a hole in the tip. 

 The lower part of the guard is decorated with laurel sprays, and 

 the quillons are inscribed on each side, " For Bravery." The scab- 

 bard is made of black leather with two brass mounts decorated with 

 floral sprays. This sword Avas captured from Bolshevik forces in 

 Siberia by Czechoslovak forces commanded by Admiral Alexander 

 Kolchak and was lent to the National Museum in 1922 by Capt. E. B. 

 Larrimer. 



A second Russian officer's sword ^^ in the collection is similar in 

 general design to the one just described but is not so ornately deco- 

 llated. The blade has a broad, shallow groove and two narrow, deep 

 grooves near the back on each side. The grip is made of wood 

 painted black and is decorated with 12 diagonal grooves. The pom- 

 mel is a plain band of brass surmounted by a spindle-shaped end. 

 The guard is a plain flat strip of brass shaped like the one just 



" These sabers vary in length from 90 to 100 cm. The blades are 76 to 85 cm. long 

 and 2.8 to 3.8 cm. wide. 



«8 Alexandpr II, Emperor of Russia, 1855-1881. 



«» Length, 94 cm. Blade, 77.5 cm. long, 3 cm. wide. PI. 41, fig. 7. 



