Lot Details
Lot 3195
Highly Desirable War of 1812 Era Silver-Hilted Mounted Officer's Saber
Christopher Giffing, New York, circa 1815
The curved blade probably of French manufacture, each side profusely etched and gilded on an intermittently blued background for almost its entire length, U S of A in ornate script etched in gilt and floral embellishments on the obverse, the reverse displaying an American flag motif over trophies of arms and foliate embellishments, with an unusual framed bust profile portrait of four men and the initials T B V and M G J W in ornate script; reverse P guard with maker's touch C. GIFFING. N.Y in strong block letters on the underside and decorated on the exterior of the knuckle bow with acanthus in deep relief, the heavy, wide pommel surmounts a narrowly ribbed ivory grip and foliate engraved ferrule.
Hilt 5 inches, blade 31 inches, overall 36 inches.
New York native Christopher Giffing (1789-1866), began his lengthy career in 1814. The last year he was listed as a silversmith in city directories was1859. Giffing's militia swords from his later years feature highly ornate hilts in a far different style, but the earlier mountings as found in the present lot identify him as one of the last important makers from the Classic era of American silver hilts - a grand age ending within the first few years of Giffing's work. The meaning of the monograms is unknown, but the unusually ornate decoration and overall craft displayed suggests that this was possibly intended for presentation.
See Belden, Louise, Marks of American Silversmiths, Charlottesville, 1980
Peterson, Harold L. The American Sword 1775-1945, New Hope, 1954
Additional Notes & Condition Report
No condition report? Click here to request one.