This is an altered James Potter sword manufactured during the American Revolutionary war period. Potter was a New York City cutler operating at Maiden Lane in New York City at the time of the American Revolution. His sabers were patterned after the British 1756 Light Dragoon Saber, and were highly prized by American troops fighting on both sides of the Revolution. Potter was a loyalist, and thus his swords were contracted for use by American loyalist forces fighting the patriot militia and Continental Army. His weapons were so highly regarded that they were the saber of choice for Tarleton's British Legion (5th American Regiment), the Queen's American Rangers (1st American Regiment) and the King's American Regiment (4th American Regiment). On the Colonial side they were highly sought after also. One of the more famous Colonial's that favored the Potter sword was none other than Henry "Light Horse" Lee, father of future Civil War General Robert E. Lee. First as a Captain with the 5th Virginia Light Dragoons, then as a Major in command of a mixed unit of Cavalry and Infantry known as "Lee's Legion, Lee made sure that all his command was equipped with a captured Potter sword. James Potter's heavy dragon sabers measured approximately 43" overall, with a swept, unfullered, single edge blade measuring approximately 35" in length. He stamped the reverse ricasso with POTTER. The hilts were of iron with carved wooden grips covered with leather and braided wire wrap. The was known to use egg shaped pommels with no visible capstan. This saber measures 31 1/2" overall, with a blade length of 25 3/4". The iron blade is 1 7/16" wide at the ricasso and has a spine width of 7/16" at the ricasso. The blade has an overall dark appearance with oxidation along the entire length of the blade. The reverse ricasso is stamped POTTER, with the stamp getting fainter and fainter after the O. The single edge blade has several nicks along the edge. The blade tip has been fashioned to resemble a naval cutlass. The iron hilt is loose on the blade and is a clam shell style guard. This one was intended to be used by a right hand dominant person. The guard and iron ferrule have the same dark patina as the blade. The typical egg shaped pommel has been replaced by an acorn cap style, also with that same matching patina as the other iron components. The guard and pommel cap have some simple engraving. The carved wooden grip retains about 40% of the original leather. The exposed wood looks to be walnut and also has a dark appearance. The double strand brass wire wrap is complete fairly tight to the grip. It believe that it is a rewrap done quite a while ago. It's obvious that this sword has been together for a long time. It is my opinion that whoever modified this Potter Dragoon Saber intended it to be used as a Naval Cutlass. This could have been done during the Revolutionary War period using a damaged Potter saber, or later on, we will probably never know. Either way, a Potter made sword is a hard to get American manufactured sword from the American revolution period. If collecting the fight for America's freedom from Britian is your niche', give this one a look!

Item # AA1166

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