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Stephen A. Fisher




Location: Kentucky USA
Joined: 17 Oct 2003

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PostPosted: Sat 20 Dec, 2003 6:49 pm    Post subject: The Swords of George Washington         Reply with quote

#1


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One of five swords held by George Washington.jpg

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Stephen A. Fisher




Location: Kentucky USA
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PostPosted: Sat 20 Dec, 2003 6:50 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

#2 & 3


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Stephen A. Fisher




Location: Kentucky USA
Joined: 17 Oct 2003

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PostPosted: Sat 20 Dec, 2003 6:50 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

#4 Wilkinson Swords made a reproduction of this smallsword, I believe it came out in the 70's.


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Last edited by Stephen A. Fisher on Sat 20 Dec, 2003 6:53 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Stephen A. Fisher




Location: Kentucky USA
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Posts: 455

PostPosted: Sat 20 Dec, 2003 6:55 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

#5 Hanwei makes a reproduction of this smallsword.


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Stephen A. Fisher




Location: Kentucky USA
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PostPosted: Sat 20 Dec, 2003 6:55 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

#6


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Stephen A. Fisher




Location: Kentucky USA
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PostPosted: Sat 20 Dec, 2003 6:57 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

#7 Anyone know of any others?


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E.B. Erickson
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Location: Thailand
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PostPosted: Sun 21 Dec, 2003 5:19 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hi Stephen,
Thanks for the pics! #6 is interesting, as the design has a late 1600s feel to it. Wonder if it had been in the family for awhile?

--ElJay
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Scott Bubar




Location: New England
Joined: 21 Aug 2003

Posts: 120

PostPosted: Sun 21 Dec, 2003 5:24 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Stephen, Neumann says the sword on the left in your second picture was the one he wore when resigning his commission and at his '89 inauguration. Warren Moore shows the same sword, saying "according to tradition he favored this sword for state occasions."

(It seems to me I've looked into this before, but I can't quite recall what I came up with--perhaps one of the swords was worn at the 2nd inaugural?)

BTW, Neumann says the sword on the right in that pic is the one he wore on the Braddock expedition.

The hunting sword in the last pic is the one I've seen described as his field sword during the AWI.
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Roger Hooper




Location: Northern California
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PostPosted: Sun 21 Dec, 2003 8:58 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Here is another picture of the hanger shown in picture number 7 - very nice!


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Dennis Holland




Location: South Texas
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PostPosted: Sun 21 Dec, 2003 10:39 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Are small swords typically sharpened? Or are they primarily used for thrusting like a Rapier?
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Stephen A. Fisher




Location: Kentucky USA
Joined: 17 Oct 2003

Posts: 455

PostPosted: Sun 21 Dec, 2003 6:40 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

E.B. Erickson wrote:
Hi Stephen,
Thanks for the pics! #6 is interesting, as the design has a late 1600s feel to it. Wonder if it had been in the family for awhile?

--ElJay


Good question, I wish I knew more about it,. I've never seen it pictured anywhere else.
- - - - - - - - - - -
The smallsword in picture #1, is alleged to have been given to him by Frederick the Great of Germany.

(http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/features/gw/index.html)
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Stephen A. Fisher




Location: Kentucky USA
Joined: 17 Oct 2003

Posts: 455

PostPosted: Sun 21 Dec, 2003 7:35 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Dennis Holland wrote:
Are small swords typically sharpened? Or are they primarily used for thrusting like a Rapier?


Dennis,

The smallsword was a thrust-only weapon. Are small swords typically sharpened? Typically, no. But I'm sure there are exceptions.

In Alfred Hutton's book "The Sword Through the Centuries" pg.226 there is an account of a duel that took place in 1712.

Hutton notes: "......The nature of the wound on both sides suggests that they must have been inflicted with weapons edged as well as pointed, and that the two noblemen were armed, not with the triangular "colichemarde," but with the more antiquated, flat, double edged small sword. In both cases they were very broad wounds, which would not have been caused by a simple puncture, and in both cases there was complete severance of an artery; while the mangling of Lord Mohun's left hand was the evident result of his attempting either to parry or to seize his enemy's sword with it,......"

note: Hutton refers to the "flat, double edged smallsword" as antiquated. Though, at the time, the colichemarde was in vogue. The "flat, double edged smallsword" would ultimately out live the colichemarde, while not always the most popular, the former can be found on 19th century smallswords.
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Dennis Holland




Location: South Texas
Joined: 09 Dec 2003

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PostPosted: Mon 22 Dec, 2003 5:43 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thanks Stephen Big Grin
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Stephen A. Fisher




Location: Kentucky USA
Joined: 17 Oct 2003

Posts: 455

PostPosted: Mon 26 Jan, 2004 6:14 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Here is a picture the brochure of reproduction made by Wilkinson swords that came out in 1974. I saw one of these last year at a gun show. It was an extremely well made beautiful reproduction.


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Last edited by Stephen A. Fisher on Mon 26 Jan, 2004 6:49 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Stephen A. Fisher




Location: Kentucky USA
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Posts: 455

PostPosted: Mon 26 Jan, 2004 6:17 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

details


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Stephen A. Fisher




Location: Kentucky USA
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PostPosted: Mon 26 Jan, 2004 6:21 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

1974 price: $975


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Stephen A. Fisher




Location: Kentucky USA
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PostPosted: Mon 26 Jan, 2004 6:25 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Scans from Arms & Armor in Colonial America 1526-1783

"British silver-mounted smallsword with colichemarde blade, c. 1760-1770 used by George Washington. According to traditions he favored this sword for state occasions."



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Stephen A. Fisher




Location: Kentucky USA
Joined: 17 Oct 2003

Posts: 455

PostPosted: Mon 26 Jan, 2004 6:36 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

"French silver-mounted small sword of 1753-1754 carried by George Washington on the Braddock expedition."


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Stephen A. Fisher




Location: Kentucky USA
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Posts: 455

PostPosted: Mon 26 Jan, 2004 6:44 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

A scan from Swords and Blades of the American Revolution


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