Ridgeway Civil War Research Center, A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War
	Civil War Weapons, all pre 1898
	by Harry Ridgeway

Cavalry saber, Model 1860, Wester & Co. . Manufactured by Wester & Company, a Solingen manufacturer. Research Center: Weapon6685-Sword-Cavalry-Model-1860-Wester . Details click: http://relicman.com/weapons/Weapon6685-Sword-Cavalry-Model-1860-Wester.html

W0979 ### Cavalry saber, Model 1860, Wester & Co. . The model 1860 saber was made slightly lighter than the model 1840 and was the primary saber of the Federal cavalry by the end of the war. Manufactured by Wester & Company, a Solingen manufacturer. This sword is thought to have been manufactured during the period that Model 1840's were produced, but it has the short blade typical of the model 1860 and the swell in the handle is clearly of 1860 style. This maker never got a Federal contract, so perhaps this was a demonstration model, that never was accepted. Marks: ricasso, W&C, script letters. Standard features include: wooden handle with a swell covered with leather and a wire grip, brass hilt has three branches, brass pommel cap and guard are unadorned, steel blade has flat back with narrow and wide fuller stopped at the ricasso, iron scabbard with iron mountings. Research Center: Weapon6686-Sword-Cavalry-Model-1860-Wester . Reference: Thillmann Cav. & Arty. Sabers pg. 464. Blade length, 35 inches. Wester & Co, not dated or inspected. Grip has leather wrap intact wire is loose, leather washer missing, scabbard missing.

This is the "Ridgeway Civil War Research Center", a research tool for educational purposes only, and is provided at no cost to the reader. Some of the relics listed are retained in the author's collection, most reside in other collections and are not owned by the author. None of the items listed in this section are for sale, please refer to relicman.com sales listings for items offered for sale. This is a work in progress, I list items as I get to them, there are many patterns that are not listed yet, this list will be regularly updated as I get pictures and descriptions for more items. I will also correct mistakes, so if you see any please tell me. All items listed are believed to be authentic to the Civil War or as otherwise described. Any excavated relics have been recovered from private property with owners permission.This information is available for research purposes, pictures may be used by permission only.

All weapons listed on this webpage are strictly manufactured before 1898, and are considered unsafe for actual use. These are antique collectible weapons of the Civil War (most are pre 1865, unless I state otherwise) and actual firing of these weapons is not recommended for any purpose whatsoever! Because these are all "pre 1898" weapons, no licenses are required for ownership, but common sense and good judgment should be applied.

Most information on this page is from:
Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms......
John Thillman series, "Civil War Cavalry & Artillery Sabers...", or "Civil War Army Swords....".

Ridgeway Civil War Research Center, A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War Weapons Research center, weapons, click: http://relicman.com/weapons/Weapon0000-Index.html. Research center, weapons, click: http://relicman.com/weapons/Weapon0000-Index.html.

and now a word from our sponsor.....

Civil War Relicman, Harry Ridgeway, Civil War weapons, Relicman sales catalog. Sale listings click: http://relicman.com/weapons/Relicman-Sales-Weapon0000.html. Sale listings click: http://relicman.com/weapons/Relicman-Sales-Weapon0000.html.