Note the above average casting of the hilt



  The grip is 100% Original and Complete


  The blade is bright, with small amounts of carbon staining; this is natural, it has not been cleaned


  The scabbard is in beautiful condition


  Note the extensive wear on the brass drag

The field and staff officer’s sword shown here was made at the Confederate States Armory in Kenansville, North Carolina by Louis Froelich. The name implies that the manufactory was a Confederate government operation, but it was privately owned and operated. Records show that Froelich made pikes, buttons, saber bayonets, navy and artillery cutlasses, belts, knapsacks, cap boxes, cartridge boxes and swords for North Carolina, the Confederate government and for private sale. The Confederate States Armory is believed to have been the second largest sword manufactory in the Confederacy. Froelich’s cavalry swords, bayonets and cutlasses are all referred to as Kenansville products, taking their name from the place of manufacture rather than the maker’s name.

Only Froelich’s field & staff swords are referred to by his name and these are the swords that he is most remembered for. The "CSA on a Ribbon” shown here is extremely rare, often sword collectors search for decades to have an opportunity to buy one of these. The CSA on the counterguard delineates this sword as a field & staff pattern, and as the name field & staff implies, only officers with the rank of major and above were authorized to carry this sword. However, such distinctions could ill be afforded in the Confederate army and this sword could have been carried by officers of some lesser rank. The beautiful Froelich field & staff officer’s sword shown here is one of the best of this pattern. The leather grip wrap is completely original and is perfect; the single strand brass wire is perfect and tight; the guard is tight and perfect, with a wonderfully clear CSA on the ribbon and it has a deep rich patina; the Roman numeral XV is cut into the quillon. The blade is bright from ricasso to point and does not have a single nick. In other words, it too is perfect. The sword is sheathed in the correct brass mounted Froelich scabbard. The scabbard would be perfect except it is missing the very top flat of the throat where the Roman numeral would have been placed. The wear on the drag and mounts show heavy War time use.

I have been dealing in Confederate swords for several decades, and this is only the third of this rare sword I have ever seen for sale; I have seen them sell in the 40-50k range.

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