1840's AMERICAN EAGLE HEAD SWORD BY WIDMANN

Here is an excellent example of the famed Widmann sword with bone grips with Federal eagle clamshell guard. This one has the Widmann touch all the way and the eagle’s head is 100 percent the F.W. Widmann type VI. This is clearly an infantry-officer’s sword of the 1840 period. It has the typical Widmann finish with silver wash or plate which brings out all the fine detail consistent with Widmann swords. Frederick Widmann was the greatest sword cutler in America operating out of Philadelphia, where he opened shortly after embarking from Bremen, Germany. It is quite possible that he received his training in sword cutlery in Bremen as that North Sea port and its smaller companion port of Emden were the two principal overseas shipping points for the Solingen Blade trade; therefore, it is hardly strange that Widmann almost exclusively employed utility-grade Solingen blades in conducting his business in America. Widmann’s forenames–Frederick Wilhelm—have a Prussian ring to them which may mean nothing; however, he kept a tinted engraving of the Prussian King Frederick the Great in a prominent location in his home suggesting a strong sense of Prussian pride. The eagle’s head on the sword we offer is the personification of the Prussian Adler (eagle). The “Alte Fritz” Frederick would have loved it. Nothing could be more Prussian. The sword we offer is unusual in its great length of 38 inches in its scabbard. The blade shows its age. Some of the bluing is slightly discernible but the blade in general shows years of use and is a bit tired and shows old rust stains (removed). The grip shows the usual slight age crack practically always to be expected. The eagle and knuckle bow are excellent. The decoration on the knuckle bow is on the frontal side only (typical Widmann). The eagle on the clamshell guard is typical of the 1840s’ style and it has a very dramatic appearance. The scabbard has a doorway crease. This often occurred when the officer would proceed through a doorway and the sword following up secured to his belt would often fail to follow the man closely enough and get slammed in the door thus receiving the doorway crease. All in all, this sword is an important and handsome relic of better times in our America. It should be in a museum or a good collection like yours. Today Widmann is memorialized regularly by American sword collectors who consider appropriately that Widmann’s series of swords constitutes one of the most fascinating specialties known to their hobby.