US452.)CIVIL WAR UNION NAVAL CUTLASS: 32" long overall with slightly curved steel blade. Blade is overall gray with years of toning, remnants of a light nickel plating that was applied years ago...also shows remnants of a varnishing application as well. Brass basket is pretty much intact and shows a couple of very light indentations as is so common with these. Blade ricasso is die-struck with date '1862' and 'USN' along with inspector's initials 'D.R.'. There is a faint impression on the opposite ricasso being the maker which I can only assume is the familiar Ames Company of Chicopee, Mass. given that most Ames cutlasses are 'D.R.' inspector proofed. Dark brown leather grip is intact. Missing the wire wrap which is quite common on these. Note too the shipboard rack numbers die-struck into the hilt's lower guard '12M' and '211'. In a decent state of preservation....offered at a great price by the way.

On board the USS Constitution in Boston Harbor there are dozens of these in wall mounted racks on the lower gun decks. The number on this particular cutlass is likely the ship identification and the weapon's own inventory number '211'.