Sword and Scabbard by William Cowell Jr., Boston, Silver Mounted, Signed
Date/Period: 1740-1750 - SOLD

Measurement: Overall length: 35.5"; blade length: 29"

Condition: In overall good condition with a broken wire on the grip wrapping, the
scabbard has some loss at the tip and is missing the middle band and drag.

Additional Information: Small sword featuring silver hilt with "W. Cowell" touchmark on
the top of the knuckle bow, round cap with two-feature buildup on the pommel…caps
over top and bottom of grips. The shell guards are nicely designed and feature a heavy
fold on the top; Ricasso center is square and canted; silver wire-covered wood grip, a
triangular colichemarde-form blade with a leather washer at the base of the hilt. The
sword remains with its original leather-covered wood scabbard with a silver throat
(middle band and drag missing).

Literature: See American Silver-Hilted Revolutionary and Early Federal Swords,
Volume I, by Daniel Hartzler. Also, for similar examples see John D. Hamilton, "Jacob
Hurd and the Boston Smallsword" (American Society of Arms Collectors Bulletin: 70:8-
15).

Note: William Cowell Jr. was a Boston silversmith born in 1713. He was apprenticed to
his father and began in the trade in 1734 till his death in 1761.

Other examples of his work are in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, Fort
Ticonderoga, The Met, Tale University Art Gallery, and The American Revolution
Institute of The Society of the Cincinnati.

935-36