I was wondering what anyone could tell me about this sword. At first I thought it was a US 1840 Artillery but now I am wondering if the ciphers are Prussian. What can anyone tell me? The scabbard is black painted steel.

more photos

more, any idea of a value of this, I am being offered this by a fellow in my local community

last

Dan, My best information/guess is that it is a Prussian “experimental/trials” sword that was probably exported to the U.S. during the War Between the States. Copied (like the U.S sabers were) from the French, there is a companion cavalry saber of French design as well. After the trials, the swords apparently went into storage. With the cavalry sword being replaced by another experimental design (that ended up being sold to the British). With the Prussians ultimately adopting the Model 1852, and their old Model 1811’s being given to the mounted artillery. Regards, FP

PS: I think somebody painted the scabbard, because it should be polished steel.

Can we see a photo of the drag on the scabbard?

End of scabbard

throat

Scabbard rings.
What do you think you would offer for a sword like this if an individual had one?

The rings

Thanks Dan. An interesting sword. The scabbard does not appear to be French made as they typically had a very distinctive drag, so that seems to mesh with your German marked blade.

I tend to agree with FP that it may well be a trials sword. I am not aware that this sword was ever adopted by the Prussians. Since the blade is dated 1848 it seems to indicate it was German accepted but there is no maker I presume?

A head scratcher.

George, All three are dated, and to the best of my immediate recollection maker marked. There has never been any doubt in my mind that they were Prussian issue. Not a large scale issue, but for trials as the Prussians sorted out what they were going to adopt next. Best Regards, FP

Yes,there is no maker mark. What do you mean by "trials" sword? Like a sample? A trial for the Prussians or the U.S.?
Fred, just curious what you meant by "all three are dated in your post to George.

I suspect the sword was sent to the US so that the Ordnance Corps could do tests to assure that the quality was up their standards.

Dave

There was quite a bit of experimentation/change in the Prussian Army and others in the beginning of the 19th century. The M1811 Blüchersäbel was adopted for the light cavalry. With the sword later being given to the mounted artillery as the M 1856 before the sword itself was eventually replaced with a newer lighter model (n/A M1856).

And some units of the heavy cavalry got the AN XIII French Cuirassier sword known as Preußischer Kürassierpallasch M 1817 (Pattern of 1826 in Russia). While other heavy cavalry units got the Russian Cuirassier Pallasch pattern of 1809 that was manufactured in Germany as the Preußischer Kürassierpallasch M 1819.

During this period there were at least 3 experimental models that I know of. The first was a new light cavalry sword based on the French Light Cavalry sword in 1847 (the same as the U.S Model 1840). The 1848 dated copy of the French mounted artillery sword. And in 1849. A steel basket hilted sword that was the precursor for the Preußischer Kavalleriesäbel M 1852.

Is it confusing enough yet? FP

Thanks so much for your help and comments
Dan H