From the collection of:
Frazier Historical Arms Museum || VAM Home

While the blade of this saber—the term for a heavy cavalry sword with a one-edged, slightly curved blade—was most likely crafted in England, the hilt or handle was perhaps made in Boston, Massachusetts. This sword and sheath belonged to Josiah Bartlett (1729-1795), a New Hampshire physician who held numerous positions of authority. When Bartlett acquired this sword around 1770, he was commanding a local militia unit. He later became a member of the Colonial Committee of Safety and a representative to the Second Continental Congress. He was the first man to vote to ratify the Declaration of Independence and the second to sign it, and he later signed the Articles of Confederation. After leaving Congress in 1778, Bartlett held several state offices, including serving as the first governor of New Hampshire.

About the Artist

Traditionally, swords and knives were forged by hand by a bladesmith or a blacksmith. The work could range from very utilitarian to highly ornamental. Bladesmithing continues to be a form of artisanship today, requiring an understanding of both science and art.

Classroom Ideas

Discussion: Use the magnification option to take a closer look at the saber. Can you identify the animal on the hilt? What material would you guess the handle is made from? What qualities of art does this weapon include? What artistic choices would a swordmaker make?

Activities: Research metalsmithing. In addition to weapons, what other items were hand-forged in Colonial America? Create a poster about Colonial blacksmithing. Which items would be considered art—then or now?

During the 18th century, swords were fashion accessories for men as well as indicators of a person’s military or social standing. It was proper to wear one’s sword at important affairs. Create a poster showing things that are social or status symbols in contemporary American society (cars, athletic shoes, designer clothes, etc.). Hundreds of years from now, how might people describe our society based on these items?

Links

The Frazier Historical Arms Museum web site includes lots of links to online arms and armor resources.
[www.frazierarmsmuseum.org/links.html]

Learn more about the life of Josiah Bartlett at ColonialHall.com. And the Bartlett Family Research page has a timeline.
[www.colonialhall.com/bartlett/bartlett.php]
[homepages.rootsweb.com/~cst/bartlett/josiatim.htm]

Read about Colonial blacksmithing at The Blacksmith, a student-created page, and at Lena Hildmann’s Blacksmiths in Colonial America.
[www2.lhric.org/pocantico/tradesmen/blacksmith.htm]
[bryant2.bryant.edu/~history/h364proj/fall_01/hildmann/]

The HowStuffWorks web site includes a detailed and excellent article about the sword-making process and sword history.
[people.howstuffworks.com/sword-making.htm]

Read about a contemporary artisan who makes 18th-century-style swords in a period forge at the Old Dominion Forge site.
[www.olddominionforge.com]