Only 59 Ames Staff and Field Officer's Swords were inspected, dated, and delivered in 1861. At the beginning of the war the government revived the practice of supplying officers with swords at cost to ease the financial burden, insure quality and enable officers at remote locations to get them, but the sudden expansion of the army overburdened the system and only another 119 were supplied in 1862 before the contract was cancelled and officers for the most part purchased their swords from various commercial sources. These US inspected and dated officer swords are thus considered very scarce. This one has a worn blade, though some of the etching is visible (including the Ames eagle and block letter US) and the grip lacks the wire, but the sharksin, though dirty and showing a gap along the seam, is all there. The scabbard is quite good. The upper mount has the correct Ames Mfg. Co. / Chicopee / Mass. stamp on the reverse. The other mounts are present and match in color, and the scabbard body has a good amount of thin blue and no dents. The blade ricasso shows clearly the U.S. / J.H. / 1861 acceptance, inspector and date stamp. Neither the scabbard nor the pommel show inspector stamps, which is correct for this date and pattern.

Materials, Packing, and UPS Shipping on this item is $38.00. Insurance is $1.50 per hundred. UPS charges $5 for the signature required service. The insurance and signature service are optional, but there can be no insurance for theft or loss without the UPS signature required service.If you decline signature service and/or insurance and the neighbor kid steals the box off your porch after UPS leaves it.... or if UPS delivers it to the wrong address, or if the UPS truck crashes and burns… You are out of luck. I highly recommend the insurance and signature service.

VG