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.

The sword’s basket is highly decorated with a prominent CS cast into its face, surrounded by oak leaves and acorns. The basket’s knuckle bow terminates with the head of a sea serpent. The guard remains tight and is perfect. The pommel is decorated with both oak and laurel leaves. The grip wrap is original, but like so many of this manufacturer’s swords, the wooden grip shows through in many places. The copper wire wrap is original and remains tight; the guard has a small amount of play on the blade. The etched blade is bright and retains a significant amount of light etching, but there is light scattered pitting. The K, G & K at the ricasso can barely be seen, nor can the Columbia SC marking be seen. It has not been sharpened or repointed and no really visible nicks, but a few can be felt with the fingernail.

The scabbard is a JT Leathers reproduction, which is virtually identical to the original.

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