Beschreibung:

Rare and Historic American Silver-Hilted Sword by William Gilbert With Provenance of Lt. Abraham Bancker, First Battalion New York Rangers Hilt: Lion pommel silver hilt by William Gilbert of New York (signed on accompanying silver scabbard mount) circa 1777 of simple knob capstan and finely executed lion head with inset jeweled eyes of faceted red garnets in each socket, detailed muzzle and deeply flowing mane; spiral channeled turned 'twisted' ivory grip stained green; small base ferrule above an elliptical floating guard cast in bronze and heavily silver plated with two openings on either side and finely engraved on obverse and reverse, the smooth inboard edge with a thin iron strip inset; outside edge scalloped; top of guard decorated in a raised diamond motif on one edge; the central surface with distinctly intricate cross-hatched design to ferrule then a rosette design opening to shell motifs on the quillons, upper quillon pierced at end for chain guard; engraved decorations repeated on the reverse. Blade: Unmarked with wide fuller and false edge. Throat: Silver top scabbard mount with ring and ruffled bottom edge to locket; decorated with simple inscribed rules, engraved "Abraham B / Bancker" in script on one side and "Wm Gilbert / Maker" in block letters on reverse. Blade measures 25 3/8 inches; sword and hilt 31 1/2 inches overall. WILLIAM GILBERT AND THE NEW YORK SILVERSMITHS Silversmith William Gilbert (active 1767-1818) was a prominent member of the close knit community of the city's most important silver craftsmen and an ardent and active patriot during the Revolutionary War. Of Dutch decent (as was his brother-in-law, silversmith Ephraim Brasher of "Brasher Doubloon" renown), it is unknown, as is much with America's early silversmiths, to whom William Gilbert originally served his apprenticeship. However, close examination of Gilbert and Brasher's silver craft reveals distinct similarities of style in much of their work, particularly with silver hilts, suggesting that a common source in their training. Indeed, the work of Gilbert, Brasher and Brasher's business partner John Bailey (maker of a sword for George Washington), provides a case of these silversmiths providing a distinctly New York style to the craft. A comparison of the present sword with one strongly attributed to Brasher in the Lattimer family collection (see Hartzler p. 20) reveals the common characteristics of a thin iron strip inset into the inner edge of guards, their elliptical shape, and the use of arsenic-stained turned ivory in the grips. Further comparison with the examples of John Bailey's work (see Peterson nos. 28 and 29) and in particular the Gilbert sword cataloged as no. 32 therein, as well as the silver hilt attributed to Brasher sold at Doyle New York on May 1, 2007, again yields stylistic similarities, particularly in the guards and grips. All three silversmiths provided work for George Washington, either through direct purchase or from third party commission. The "battle sword" by John Bailey (the most prolific of the circle by far, he maintained a shop in Fishkill throughout much of the War) for General Washington has been in the Smithsonian since 1843. Brasher's work is documented in a receipt for silver skewers and Gilbert contributed the customary gold box in which Washington received the "Freedom of the City" from the New York City Council in 1784. Thoroughly a patriot, Gilbert was active politically and militarily during the Revolution. In 1775 he served as one of the sixty members of the Committee of Observation and was later elected to the prominent Committee of One Hundred, which superseded the former and managed city affairs during the earlier years of the War (Abraham Bancker's father Evert was also a member.) Serving in such an ad hoc body naturally forced his family to evacuate during the British occupation. It is likely the Brasher family (Brasher's wife Ann was Gilbert's sister) joined the Gilberts in exile in Connec