*127. HISTORIC AMERICAN NAVAL SWORD OWNED BY CAPTAIN ISAAC HULL AND LIKELY CARRIED BY

HIM DURING HIS WAR OF 1812 VICTORY AGAINST H.M.S. GUERRIERE. Relatively small size measuring

26" overall with 21"l. triangular blade. Gilt brass Eagle pommel hilt & backstrap with

engraved, stirrup style, knuckle bow that has carrying ring at top. Langets with American

Eagle and anchor in high relief. One piece ivory grip with gilt brass wire wrap. Quillon with

ball finial. Black leather scabbard with top mount engraved with leaf and cross hatch designs

that surround an oval panel with flags and other accoutrements. The reverse engraved "Captn

I. Hull/U.S.N.". Middle band also nicely engraved with floral and leaf motifs. Bottom

tip plain brass and likely an in use replacement. The top two mounts fitted with

carrying rings. Condition of hilt and scabbard mounts quite nice with all retaining a

good amount of original gilt finish. Ivory grip with fine age patina. Blade with

brown finish mixing with grey metal that is showing no traces of any decoration.

Black leather scabbard has been recently restored due to flaking and basic instabil-

ity. Have the full provenance of the sword as it passed down through the Porter fam-

ily including Commodore David Porter and Admiral David Dixon Porter. Captain Hull

gave the sword to his good friend Commodore David Porter after they served togeth-

er on the first Board of Navy Commissioners of the United States in 1815. Shortly

after its establishment there was a struggle for jurisdiction with then Secretary of

the Navy, Crowninshield. President Madison resolved the dispute in favor of the sec-

retary, establishing civilian supremacy in the navy. Porter and Captain Rogers accepted the verdict but Hull

chose to resign to become the Commandant of the Boston Navy Yard. In 1822, Captain Hull had been

accused of peculation by Lieutenant Joel Abbot, while Hull was commanding the Charlestown,

Massachusetts Navy Yard. Commodore Porter was sent to investigate the charges and came to the conclu-

sion that Hull was being persecuted by his underling. A court martial, in which Commodore Porter acted as

main prosecutor, found the lieutenant guilty of trying

to "injure and defame the character of a superior offi-

cer". Abbot was ultimately suspended from the Navy.

Porter had rescued Hull's reputation and saved his job

and pension and it is then that Porter was given this

sword by Captain Hull. The sword remained in the

Porter family until 1962 when Mary Porter Couden presented it to her godson, Clark Crook-Castan, when he

became a Midshipman in the U.S. Navy. With the sword is a signed letter written to me, by Clark Crook-

Castan, stating the full history of this important naval sword. The sword is illustrated and described in Peter

Tuite's book "U.S. Naval Officers, Their Swords and Dirks" pages 29 & 30. It was also featured in the October,

1997 edition of the magazine "Nautical World". A most important and significant piece of American naval

history.

SOLD

*128. SILVER MOUNTED AMERICAN NAVAL DIRK of a type known to have been carried by naval officers

during the early part of the 19th century. Highly decorated silver handle with knight's helmet pommel and a

fancy oval guard that is surrounded with numerous small silver leaves. 6"l., triangular shaped, steel blade.

Overall length 9 3/4". Solid silver scabbard nicely engraved one side with foliate motifs. Condition excellent

noting that the blade has pitted areas. It has long been believed that these silver dirks were made by

Baltimore area silversmiths. This example illustrated page

29 in Peter Tuite's "U.S. Naval Officers Their Swords &

Dirks" and in the October, 1997 issue of the magazine

"Nautical World". A beautifully made and quite handsome

American dirk. Circa 1810-20.

SOLD

*129. AMERICAN NAVAL DIRK WITH IVORY HANDLE and

silver mountings and scabbard. 6"l., triangular shaped,

steel blade retaining most all the original blue and gilt dec-

oration. Nicely turned ivory handle with silver ferrule and a

cross guard that is decorated each end with leaf motifs.

Overall length 9". Silver scabbard engraved one side with

foliate designs and fitted at top with two carrying rings.

Condition overall excellent. Blade decoration lightly worn in areas but all visible. Ivory handle with very fine

age crack but completely sound. This type also believed to be the work of Baltimore area silversmiths.

Illustrated in same publications as previous example. Circa 1820.

SOLD