AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN SWORDS 113 



The number of American naval swords manufactured was small 

 in comparison with the number of military swords made, and this 

 fact is rendered apparent by the size of the collection in the National 

 Museum. The types of early naval swords are far more interesting 

 in design than those belonging to a later period. The adoption of 

 the regulation sword about 1850 and the strict adherence to this type 

 by the United States naval authorities up to the present day have 

 resulted in a lack of variety that robs the history of the naval sword 

 between 1850 and the jiresent time of much antiquarian interest, 

 which would otherwise have been attached to the development of 

 that weapon and badge of authority. 



MEXICAN SWORD OWNED BY MAJ. GEN. C. F. 

 HUMPHREY 



An interesting foreign sword in the National Musemn collection is 

 a Mexican sword ®^ presented to Maj. Gen. Charles F. Humphrey, 

 United States Army, in 1907. The blade is wide, flat, and thin. 

 The obverse side bears near the hilt the Mexican national insignia, 

 an eagle on a cactus strangling a serpent. On this side appears also 

 a trophy of arms and flags, a floral scroll, and the inscription: 

 " Presented to Major Genl. Chas. F. Humphrey with compliments 

 E. A. Seeley, Jutla, July, 1907." The reverse of the blade bears 

 two trophy designs and the inscription " Fabricado por Anstraberto 

 Aragon Eo. de Oaxaca Mexico." The grip is covered with fishskin 

 and wound with silver strips. The pommel is a white metal eagle's 

 head with open beak. The guard consists merely of a narrow 

 S-shaped strip terminating above the blade in a quillon and form- 

 ing a narrow bow below the blade. The front of this strip bears a 

 border of stars. The scabbard is made of russet leather decorated 

 with silver cord. This sword was presented to the National Museum 

 in 1929 by Major General Humphrey. 



VENEZUELAN SWORD OWNED BY GEN. JOSE A. PAEZ 



The collection of foreign swords includes a very interesting and 

 ornate example of the sword maker's art connected vvith the history 

 of Venezuela. This sAvord was presented to Gen. Jose Antonio 

 Paez in 1836 b}^ the Congress of Venezuela in recognition of his 

 services to his countr}- as a soldier and statesman. It is a very 

 handsome weapon ^*^ with a long, thick, heavy blade, both sides of 

 which are decorated in gold and silver chasing on a dark-blue back- 

 ground with floral sprays extending the entire length of the blade, 

 which bears the following inscription in gold: "Al Ciudadano 



"5 Length, 91.5 cm. Blade, 76.5 cm. long, 3.5 cm. wide. 



»« Length, 90.3 cm. Blade, 77.3 cm. long, 2.7 cm. wide. Tl. 44, flg. 2. 



