N.P. Ames Model 1840 Presentation Engineer Officer's Sword, Bailey & Co. Scabbard Inscribed "Presented to Lieu. Geo. B. McClellan of the Corps of Sappers & Mines U.S.A."
date: label: date made
content: ca 1848
name: label: recipient
content: McClellan, George B.
label: maker
content: Bailey and Company
notes: label: Description
content: Sword: This Model 1840 Engineer's sword was given to George B. McClellan in commemoration of the Mexican War. Its blade is triangular, long, and straight. It has three edges. It is decorated in silver chasing on each side in floral patterns. There are some military trophies on the obverse, as well as a liberty hat and pole. On the reverse, there is an inscription reading "US Corps of Engineers". The grip of the sword is gold metal (possibly brass?). It is cylindrical and there is a casting of two rattlesnakes that wind all the way up to the pommel. The pommel is a traditional Model 1840 pommel, and has a plain Capstan Rivet, (as well as the casting of the snake's heads). The knuckleguard is a gold metal strip that extends straight out from the pommel and then turns at a 90 degree angle downwards to the counterguard. It features scroll designs on the top, and a star and arrows on both sides of the middle. The counterguard features a large castle, (symbol for the Corps of Engineers), on the obverse. The castle is surrounded by stars (above and left), a scroll pattern (below), and a large star (right). The reverse of the counterguard is plain and hinged.
label: Description
content: Scabbard: The scabbard of this sword is broken in two. It has three mounts, and it is broken right above the third mount. Each mount consists of a gold plate with similar floral edges. There is a frog stud in the shape of a US shield on the top mount. There are two inscriptions to McClellan on the space between the first two mounts, and there are square and floral designs on the space between the second and third mounts. The scabbard has two carrying rings, one on the right side of each of the top two mounts.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: Place Made
content: United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
label: referenced
content: United States: New Mexico, Mexico City
topic: label: Subject
content: Edged Weapons
label: related event
content: Mexican War
setName: label: See more items in
content: Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Military
label: See more items in
content: Military
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Hon. George B. McClellan
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: AF.17423
label: catalog number
content: 17423
label: accession number
content: 61384
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Sword
label: Object Name
content: sword
label: Other Terms
content: Sword; Edged Weapons; Army; Engineer; Officer; Presentation
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal, steel (blade material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal, brass (hilt material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal, gilt (scabbard material)
label: Measurements
content: blade: 31 3/4 in x 5/8 in; 80.645 cm x 1.5875 cm
label: Measurements
content: scabbard, part 1: 26 5/8 in x 2 in; 67.6275 cm x 5.08 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall: 37 1/4 in x 4 1/2 in; 94.615 cm x 11.43 cm
label: Measurements
content: scabbard, part 2: 6 5/8 in x 3/8 in; 16.8275 cm x .9525 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall, scabbard large part: 1 in x 2 in x 36 1/2 in; 2.54 cm x 5.08 cm x 92.71 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall, scabbard small part: 3/8 in x 3/8 in x 6 1/2 in; .9525 cm x .9525 cm x 16.51 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall, sword: 2 1/8 in x 4 3/8 in x 37 in; 5.3975 cm x 11.1125 cm x 93.98 cm