In 1861, Henry Kraft, a jeweler, his brother Peter, a gunsmith, and one of their employees, Major Maurice Goldsmith, formed Kraft, Goldsmith & Kraft military outfitters. The Columbia, South Carolina firm was a militaria retailer and manufacturer. All current published works list Lipman Goldsmith as a partner, but recent research has shown that he was merely a clerk for the company at the beginning of the War, and that he was working in Baltimore, Maryland by 1863.

The company is known for producing some of the finest swords in the Confederacy. They are best known for their field and staff officer’s swords. The company is known to have manufactured presentation spurs for Lieutenant General Ambrose Powell Hill, several presentation swords for Lieutenant General Wade Hampton and a presentation cavalry officer’s sword to be presented to Major General James Ewell Brown Stuart.

The sword shown here is the company’s field and staff pattern. This pattern and indeed all models of Kraft, Goldsmith & Kraft swords are rare. The company’s field and staff swords are the largest of the Confederate field officer swords. The grip and basket are so large that it suggests that it was intended that the sword be wielded with two hands like those used by knights in medieval times.

This is one of the best examples of this pattern in existence. It would be perfect but for the missing grip leather. KGK used a very thin, inferior leather on these swords and very few have as much leather left as this example. The hilt remains tight; the original brass wire wrap is one hundred percent original and remains tight. It even retains what I believe to be its original sword knot. The sword knot has weak places in the strap.

The sword’s highly etched blade is a thing of beauty. Never have I seen a clearer "Columbia” over "S.C.” in the Confederacy’s rising sun engraving. Nor will you come across a more perfect "K . G & K” etching. The blade is also profusely etched with KGK’s laurel floral pattern, which sets off the large, crystal clear "CS”, which is surmounted with a stack of cannon balls. and their panoply of arms surmounting crossed artillery.

As great as all the above is, add to that a perfect scabbard; not a dent nor ding and nearly 100% of its original paint places this in the pantheon of perfection! If you want a KGK Staff and Field, you will likely never find a better example, though I did see one once, but it sold for 50k.

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