Model 1860 Naval Cutlass

This cutlass was copied from the French Model 1833 Cutlass. It has a 26 inch curved blade with single fuller. The handle is wire-wrapped leather and has a 4 1/2″ X 5″ brass basket handguard. The scabbard is leather with a single brass post for attaching to a frog to hang from the belt. On the reverse and going down the entire length of the scabbard is a row of brass rivets, 39 in total. The top and bottom rivets are larger for strength.

Ames Sword Company produced 22,300 cutlasses for the Navy and an additional 300 for the Army. The serial number will always be found on the inside of the handguard, consisting of 2 digits and an M on the first line and 3 digits on the line below. The top number represents thousands and the bottom number represents hundreds. On the ricasso can be found the stamp of the Ames Sword Company inside a page:

Made By
AMES MFg Co
CHICOPEE
MASS

On the reverse should be an anchor, under that sometimes the letter “P”, under that “USN” for United States Navy, under that should be an inspector mark “D.R.” then finally the year of production.

This cutlass was issued to sailors in the event of a boarding or in other combat. The fuller on the blade provided good balance and was thinner than the French Model 1833, making it lighter for slashing.