AMERICAN" AND EUROPEAN SWORDS 119 



Poinsett, Secretary of War of the United States during the adminis- 

 tration of President Martin Van Buren, 1837-1841. This sword "" 

 has the usual long, slender, triangular blade, each side bearing a 

 deep central groove. The grip, which is 4-sided, is decorated with 

 small grooves to represent fine wire. The guard is a slender circular 

 strip, which terminates above the blade in a quillon of the same 

 type. The silver-mounted counterguard is oval in shape with a 

 solid center and an openwork rim decorated with floral sprays. The 

 scabbard is made of black leather with two steel mounts, one of 

 which is inscribed " D. Drury, Cutler to His Majesty, Strand." 

 The owner of this sword was appointed post surgeon in 1818. He 

 died in 1829. His sword was presented to the National Museum in 

 1888 by George B. Clitherall. 



EIGHTEENTH CENTURY MILITARY SWORDS 



The British military officers' swords in the Alfred F. Hopkins 

 collection include one ^^ with a short straight blade and a very wide 

 shallow groove. Each side is engraved with floral designs, a trophy, 

 and the monogram " G. R.," below a crown surmounted by a uni- 

 corn. The ivory grip is cylindrical and is decorated with parallel 

 horizontal grooves. The pommel is a silver vase of delicate design 

 surmounted by a tiny ball. The guard is a plain metal strip, which 

 terminates above the blade in a plain quillon of the same type. A 

 bow-shaped branch on the obverse is united with the quillon by a 

 diamond-shaped openwork design. 



EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY SABERS 



There are also three British Army sabers of the early part of the 

 nineteenth century in the collection. One of these ^^ has a heavy 

 curved blade with a narrow upper groove without decorations of any 

 kind. The grip is wound closely with fine steel wire, and the top is 

 surmounted by a plain steel strip, which terminates in a flat oval 

 pommel. The guard is formed of a flat steel strip, which is con- 

 tinued to form a very narrow oval counterguard. The scabbard is 

 black leather with a broad upper end engraved " J." The second 

 saber ^~ of this type is the same in general design as the one just 

 described, but was made of cheaper materials. The grip is covered 

 with leather and is decorated with nine spiral grooves. The third 

 British Army saber ^" of this period has a long curved blade with a 



» Length, 100 cm. Blade, 83 cm. long, 2.2 cm. wide. 

 " Length, 80 cm. Blade, 65 cm. long, 2.5 cm. wide. PL 34, fig. 2. 



" Length, 104 cm. Blade, 90 cm. long, 3.8 cm. wide. Marked " W. Rose & Sons." 

 PL 34, fig. 4. 



"Length, 99 cm. Blade, 84 cm. long, 3.5 cm. wide. PI. 34, fig. 4. 

 " Length, 93 cm. Blade, 80 cm. long, 3.5 cm. wide. PI. 34, fig. 6. 



