146 BULLETIISr 16 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



France, and who was later appointed United States minister to the 

 Netherlands. 



SWORD OWNED BY JOHN BIGELOW, 1865 TO 1867 



Another diplomatic sword of much interest is one ^^ worn by John 

 Bigelow, when he was United States minister to France, 1865-1867. 

 It is similar in design and worlananship to the one just described. 

 The owner was born in Maiden, N. Y., in 1817. He was graduated 

 at Union College in 1835 and was admitted to the bar in 1839. He 

 later devoted his attention to journalism, and in 1849 became joint 

 owner of the New York Evening Post. He was appointed United 

 States consul in Paris in 1861, and on the death of William L. Day 

 ton in 1865 he was made United States minister to France, a position 

 he held for two years. The last period of his life was devoted to 

 literary work. His sword was presented to the National Museum in 

 1916 by Maj. John Bigelow, United States Army, 



SWORD OWNED BY MAJ. GEN. JUDSON KILPATRICK, 1865 



A fifth sword of this type in the collection is one carried by Maj. 

 Gen. Judson Kilpatrick, United States Arm}^, when American 

 minister to Chile in 1865. This sword,^*^ which is very similar in 

 general design to the ones just described, was presented to the 

 National Museum in 1906 by Mrs. Louisa V. Kilpatrick. 



SWORD OWNED BY SAMUEL F. B. MORSE, 1867 



A sixth sword ^^ of this type in the Museum was carried by the 

 American inventor Samuel F. B. Morse when he visited the courts 

 of Europe during his tour of the Continent after the perfection 

 of his invention of the telegraph. The blade is identical with that 

 of the others of this group, and the general shape and design of the 

 hilt are also the same. The decorations on the pommel, guard, and 

 shield, however, are of a more antique style, the eagle being of a 

 very heavy and ornate type. 



The owner of this sword was born in Charlestown, Mass., in 1791. 

 He received his first instruction in electricity in Yale College and 

 was graduated from that institution in 1810. At that time he planned 

 to devote his life to the art of painting, and with this object in 

 view he studied in London under Washington Allston and Benja- 

 min West. After returning to the United States in 1815, he devoted 

 practically his entire time to portrait painting and achieved a nota- 



"^ Length, 89 cm. Blade, 74 cm. long, 1.3 cm. wide. PI. 46, flg. 1. 

 38 Length, 92.8 cm. Blade, 78 cm. long, 1.5 cm. wide. PI. 45, flg. 1. 

 »' Length, 94.5 cm. Blade, 80.2 cm. long, 1.7 cm. wide. PI. 45, fig. 3. 



