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     In 1861, Henry Kraft, a jeweler, his brother Peter, a gunsmith, and one of their employees, Lipman Goldschmidt, formed Kraft, Goldschmidt, & Kraft military outfitters.  The Columbia, South Carolina firm was a militaria retailer and manufacturer.

     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, Goldschmidt & Kraft swords are rare.  The company’s field and staff swords are the largest of the Confederate field officer swords; this example is forty-two inches long from pommel to drag.  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, even retaining small amounts of gilt.  The pommel is decorated with both oak and laurel leaves.  The grip has a couple of very minor chips, but is not cracked or loose.  A small portion of the sword’s leather grip wrap remains and blends into the aged wooden grip so that it is difficult to tell where the leather ends and the wood begins.  This is the norm for all patterns of Kraft, Goldschmidt & Kraft swords because the leather that the company used was very thin and of poor quality.  The etched blade is in extraordinarily good condition.  It has three minor nicks, its original luster remains brilliant and the etching remains frosty, which is incredibly rare and unusual.  The obverse of the blade is etched with a prominent K, G & K at the ricasso.  As you move up the blade, you come to a leaf and flower pattern that terminates at a shield mounting an axe crossed with a spear and pennant.  Crossed cannon are etched above the shield and arms.  The etching continues with an ivy leaf pattern before the panel ends in a spear point.

     The reverse is as profusely etched as the obverse.  It starts with the rising sun of the Confederacy etched onto the ricasso.  “SC” is engraved into the sun, and South Carolina’s capitol, “Columbia” is engraved just below.  As you move up the blade, the etching continues with foliage and comes to a prominent “CS”, placed so that it reads correctly when the sword is held aloft.  The etched panel is filled with a vine pattern and terminates in a spear point.  All of the prominent images etched onto the blade are chased to bring out the detail.

     Not only is the sword stunning, its original brass mounted Kraft, Goldschmidt, & Kraft scabbard is also a thing of beauty, retaining most of its original black japan.  It is solid and dent free with the exception of three light pushes on the reverse, at the drag.  All of the brass mountings are original and in excellent condition.