West Point Cadets' Sword/Saber

Description

This listing is for a West Point Cadets' Sword. The sword is most likely from the 1950's-possibly the early 1960's and looks to be made in Germany.  The handle, the hilt, and the scabbard have been polished to remove rust and corrosion.  The blade itself has only been wiped off.  There are some small dents in the scabbard - see images 7 & 8. The engraving on the blade is strong and in great condition.  The following will give some history on the sword:
The M.C. Lilley & Co, Columbus,Ohio
M.C. Lilley & Co. was founded by Mitchell C. Lilley (1819-1882), a bookbinder and publisher from Columbus, OH. It began producing swords and military regalia in 1865. On Lilley's death in 1882, the firm became known as The M. C. Lilley & Co., and expanded to a complete line of military equipment, swords, uniforms and accessories. The company purchased the Henderson-Ames Company (a merger of the Henderson firm of Kalamazoo, MI, and the Ames Sword Company) and changed its name to The Lilley Co. in 1925. In 1931 it became known as The Lilley-Ames Co. See also: Ames Manufacturing Company or N. P. Ames Company
The
West Point Cadets' Sword
is issued to cadet
officers of the United States Military Acadamy
at
West Point, New York
for wear when the uniform is designated as "under arms," to include formal functions, drill, parades, inspections and graduation. The swords are issued to cadets in their First Class (4th) year, and are returned to the Academy upon separation. Despite its straight blade and lack of a knuckle guard, it is referred to by USMA staff and cadets as a "saber," likely because the commands for its manual of arms utilize that term as the command of execution
(e.g. "Draw...sabers!")
The Ames model 1850 seems to be the grandparent of this type of Academy sword. The Academy added specific heraldry to their sword starting in 1872. Other academies customized their swords, but now only 2 remain. The West Point-specific Cadet Sword is sold only to current cadets and
alumni
. The basic cadet sword might not be made from the same materials specified by the Academy and is sold without USMA heraldry, and can be purchased almost anywhere. The basic cadet sword has been or is made in Germany, India, Spain, and China, but not all swords are of the same quality. Variations of the sword are used at
The Citadel
and other military academies and schools worldwide.
2
14494-1