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Ames Manufacturing Co. Presentation Sword & Scabbard

Grant, Ulysses S.

Sword: The blade of this sword is straight and double edged. It is also diamond-shaped. The obverse of the blade features ornate silver relief work, including the initials "USG" inside a sunburst surrounded by four long floral sprays. The reverse of the blade is similar, and also has four floral sprays. This time, however, instead of initials the sprays surround two military trophies. The grip of the sword is gold plated and features eight sections of tortoise shell. There are three heads on the gold portion of the grip. The pommel is shaped like a vase, and on the obverse it features a shield reading, "Sic floret respublica" surrounded by laurels. There is an eagle on the pommel's reverse. The upper part of the pommel is encircled in 14 diamonds of varying size, and there is a star on the very top. Six of the diamonds are Rose cut, 7 are Brilliant cut, and the cut of the final diamond is unknown. At least two of the diamonds are fake. The knuckle guard is golf plated and decorated with military trophies, laurels, and, in the center of the obverse, the head of Mars. The knuckle guard continues and turns into a quillon in the shape of a knight's head. The counterguard is double-heart shaped and features an inscription reading, "Jo Daviess County, Illinois, to Major General Ulysses S. Grant, U.S.A., the Hero of the Mississippi." This inscription is surrounded by laurel wreaths, and the initials "U.S.G." can be seen behind the inscription. The counterguard on the reverse is a simple gold plated oval shape.

Date

ca 1850

Type

Sword

Medium

metal, gilt (hilt material)

Department

NMAH

Institution

National Museum of American History

Object number

nmah_420452

Credit

Julia Dent Grant and William H. Vanderbilt