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Title:	SABER -  SABER CIVIL WAR
Maker/Manufacturer:	COULAUX & CIE
Date of Manufacture:
Eminent Figure:	HALERMAN, JOHN D.
Catalog Number:	SPAR 6653
Measurements:	OL: 88.3CM 34 7/8" BL: 74.2CM 29 1/4"

Object Description:

SABER CIVIL WAR
Manufactured by Coulaux & Cie, Kligenthal, France - Complete with 30" leather scabbard with brass mouthpiece, tip and band.

Markings:
Blade: MANUF DE KLINGENTHAL COULAUX & CIE.
Ricasso: S in shield. Crown/B.

Army Ledger: "Sword. Brass mounted. Leather scabbard brass mounted. Labelled: 'Captured by Private John D. Hulderman, Co. F., 9th Inf't obliterated."

Notes: Captured by Private John D. Halerman - Co. F 9th Inft. (Date oblierated).

"THE ARMORY - The French armory town of Klingenthal is not very far from the German sword making center at Solingen. It is located in the province of Alsace, a historically disputed area between Germany and France, each nation having claimed it as historically being a section of its own country. During the period of intertest of this work, it was in France. After the Franco-Prussian War in the 1870s, and until 1918, it would be part of Germany.
Historian Jean Binck has summerized the history of the Klingenthal Armory in an unpublished article on the arsenal/company. The beginning of the state-owned armory/sword manfactury was the result of a decision by King Louis XV to limit the influence of, and therefore the dependence upon, imported swords within the French army. In 1733, the Manufacture d'Armes Blanches d'Alsace began the long history of French made arms at Klingenthal. Just as in England, sword cutlers were brought in from Solingen to begin the enterprise. The Alsace province was chosen because it was close to the natural resources necessary for sword manufacturing (coal and iron ore). The building were erected in a valley called 'blades valley' or 'klingenthal' and, of course, the armory took on this name.
Whie the 'manufacture de Klingenthal' belonged to the government overall management of the operation was given to a businessman/entrepreneur who was wholly responsible for procuring the necessary raw materials and paying the skilled workers to manufacture and finish swords. In return for this business management and outlay of funds, the French government contracted with the manufactory of blades exclusively, and the entrepreneur was guaranteed a 20% profit on contracts. Further, there was a plant director who was an artillery officer appointed by the French government for a two to four year period, during which it was his responsibility to ensure quality control and timely performance on government contracted arms. Within the armory, there was a class of highly skilled artisans referred to as Revisers and Controllers, who were in charge of training other workers and quality control, and were considered a part of the artillery corps after 1808.
For a detalied description of blade manufacturing in France, the 'Charellerault' chapter of this book gives a firsthand account of the U.S. Army Ordnance officers sent to Europe to evaluate arms production. It stands to reason that Klingenthal and Chatellerault, both being government-owned armories, at different times made their blades and scabbards in a similar manner. However, Binck reports that Klingenthal commercial blade quality deteriorated after the armory passed into private hands. In 1815, during Napoleon's last year in power, six hundred workers were employed at the Klingenthal sword works.
In 1801, the Coulaux brothers applied for the position of Entrepreneur and descendents of that famous family remained in charge of the armory until 1837, after which they purchased it from the government. It remained in operation well into the 20th century. In the contract of 1823, and through to 1831, the government stated that the marking Manufacture Royale de Kilngenthal (followed by the month and year) was only to be on government contract swords and privately purchased 1st quality blades (officers' sword blades) hilted by others. All other commercial swords were to marked without the month and year and would fear the family name Coulaux feres a Klingenthal. After 1831, and until 1836, the blade marking was Manufre de Klingenthal Coulaux freres. In 1836, the French government let hte Klingenthal manufammerical mark found in the period of 1836 thorugh 1962 was Manufre de Klingenthal Coulaux & Cie and is found on a sword in the Binck collection." - Thillmann

References:
Thillmann, John H. CIVIL WAR CAVALRY & ARTILLERY SABERS. Andew Mowbray Publishers. Lincoln, R.I. 2001.