Brass hilt with knight’s head pommel and bird form quillons (chain guard removed). Shell guard a gladiator bearing sword and shield marked FCB. Stipple band wrapped leather-covered grip (some wear to leather high spots). 30” d.e. blade with maker’s name PETTISONE Mfg Co CINCINNATI to the ricasso. Pettibone clearly misspelled by a careless etcher! Both sides decorated in foliage, mounted knight, Pythian devices, and the owner’s name. Quite crisp with smooth gray patina. The Scabbard with high relief tasks of Hercules motif and Pythian devices. The Knights of Pythias was chartered in 1864 and among the first after the Civil War. These organizations provided their members a number of benefits from social status to, in extreme cases, physical backing against their adversaries.
