Confederate States Navy Cutlass with CSN-Inscribed Pommel – No Scabbard

This is a rare Confederate States Navy (CSN) naval cutlass from the American Civil War, an exceptionally hard-to-find edged weapon tied directly to the maritime arm of the Confederacy. This heavy, brass-hilted cutlass bears the highly desirable “CSN” marking engraved into the pommel, clearly linking it to naval use under the Confederate banner. Pieces such as this are increasingly scarce and prized in advanced Civil War collections for their historic provenance and symbolism.

Historical Background: The Confederate States Navy

At the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, the newly formed Confederate States of America faced an immediate disadvantage on the seas. The Confederate States Navy (CSN) was established in February 1861 but began with almost no ships, no centralized dockyards, and few trained personnel. Despite this, the CSN would go on to have an outsized impact on naval warfare through daring innovation, skilled blockade-running, and the world’s first successful submarine attack (by the CSS Hunley in 1864).

The CSN relied on several sources to arm its ships and sailors:

• Converted merchant vessels or steamers refitted for combat,

• British blockade runners smuggled into Southern ports,

• Domestic armories that fabricated arms and edged weapons in small quantities.

Southern swords and cutlasses were often cruder than their Union counterparts due to limited foundry capacity, but they carry a rugged authenticity emblematic of the Confederacy’s resourcefulness.

Naval cutlasses like this one—simple, strong, and easily mass-cast—would have been standard issue aboard CSN vessels or among Confederate Marine Corps units tasked with shipboard security, boarding actions, and port defense.

Physical Description:

• Overall Length: 26 inches

• Blade Length: 20.5 inches

• Weight: Approximately 3 lbs

• Blade: Heavy and single-edged, with a broad flat profile and no fullers. The tip is slightly rounded, with darkened steel showing uniform age patina, mild pitting, and areas of oxidation—consistent with 160+ years of exposure.

• Hilt: One-piece cast brass with full fish-scale grip texture, worn at high points but complete. The brass knuckle bow curves smoothly into a robust counterguard with rolled quillon.

• Pommel: Rounded ball-style pommel with prominent raised “CSN” inscription (Confederate States Navy) on one side. The opposite side bears a deeply cast anchor—an iconic naval symbol. These two motifs together leave no doubt as to its intended use and origin.

Condition Report:

The cutlass remains in strong, unrestored condition, with a blade that retains full shape and edge integrity. The brass hilt has acquired a rich, deep bronze patina and remains tightly fitted to the tang. The “CSN” letters are clearly visible and unaffected by corrosion or polishing—highly unusual in Confederate pieces, which are often worn smooth. The blade, while dark, has not been over-cleaned and shows no grinding or reshaping. There is no scabbard, which is typical of wartime-recovered Confederate arms.

Collector’s Notes:

CSN-marked naval swords are significantly rarer than standard Confederate cavalry sabers or militia blades. This cutlass is representative of the South’s naval efforts in a conflict largely defined by land combat. It offers a direct connection to Southern sailors who served aboard ironclads, rams, and blockade runners during a transformative era in naval history. Surviving examples of these CSN cutlasses are infrequently seen on the open market and command strong prices in both U.S. and international collections.

Given the crispness of the markings, original untouched patina, and the historical gravity of any Confederate naval artifact, this piece stands as a fine acquisition for any collector of Civil War edged weapons or naval militaria.