American Revolutionary War Baltimore Silver Hilt Eagle Head Sword from W. Guthman Collection

This magnificent American Revolutionary War or shortly post-Revolution Baltimore silver hilt eagle head sword dates circa 1780 to 1790 and comes from the renowned William H. Guthman Collection. This is a spectacular early American officer’s mounted saber, made in the late 18th century and clearly commissioned for an officer of wealth and standing. The sword features a massive tri-fullered blade, a near flawless grip, and a beautifully executed silver hilt with the eagle head motif. Traces of the original red felt throat washer remain intact. No scabbard is present. This sword is one of the finest examples of this early pattern known, with exceptional balance, impressive scale, and history that places it firmly among the most desirable American silver hilt swords of the Revolutionary War to War of 1812 era.

Early Baltimore silver hilt eagle head swords occupy one of the most important niches in American edged weapon collecting. These were expensive private commission weapons, made for officers who required something far beyond a standard infantry sword. The mounted saber form, large tri-fullered blade, and refined eagle head hilt place this example in the world of elite American officer arms at the birth of the republic. The eagle motif is especially powerful in this period, reflecting the emerging national identity of the United States in the years surrounding independence. This sword reportedly came from a grouping sold in the 1960s by noted historian and author Harold Peterson, and was later sold in the 1990s by William H. Guthman of Westport, Connecticut.

William H. Guthman was one of the major figures in the collecting and study of Colonial and Federal period Americana. After beginning as a collector of French & Indian War and Revolutionary War artifacts, he became a full-time dealer, writer, and authority in early American military material, establishing Guthman Americana in Westport and exhibiting for decades at New York’s Winter Antiques Show. This sword’s Guthman and Peterson associations, combined with its Baltimore attribution, silver hilt, eagle head form, massive blade, ivory grip, and Revolutionary-to-Federal period date, make it a centerpiece-level American sword. 

Provenance: From the William H. Guthman Collection. Reportedly from a grouping sold in the 1960s by noted historian and author Harold Peterson, later sold in the 1990s by William H. Guthman of Westport, Connecticut.

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