Fantastic N. P. Ames Presentation Militia Silver Grip Sword With Association to the Family of William Channing Gibbs, Governor of Rhode Island, 1821-1824. A beautiful sword in fantastic condition with a 29-inch straight blade with narrow central fuller running to near the tip. Reverse ricasso etched "N.P. Ames / Cutler / Springfield". Reverse of blade etched with floral designs panoply of arms, and eagle with "E Pluribus Unum" riband. Obverse of blade etched with oak leaf and acorn motif and eagles. The quillons resemble the arms of a Maltese cross with open centers. Shield-shaped langets are braised to each side. Each langet is bordered with ornate foliate scroll. The center of the obverse langet exhibits a finely engraved anchor with the "Hope" overhead. The reverse langet is blank. The pommel is in the form of a stylized helmet. Three gilded chains suffice as the guard. The silver grip has oak leaf designs alternating with linear decoration. Gilded-brass scabbard with cast raised scroll logo bearing the N.P. Ames maker mark on the reverse. Obverse hand-engraved with oak leaf and acorn designs, American eagle and additional floral motifs. Three mounting rings and a stud for the frog. The scabbard is engraved with the following names and dates: "Wm C. Gibbs / 1842", E. B. Gibbs / 1871", W. C. Gibbs / 1884" and "Alfred Kane Gibbs / 1903".

William Channing Gibbs (1789-1871) was the 10th Governor of Rhode Island. He also rose to the rank of Major General in the Rhode Island Militia. Gibbs and his wife had ten children, one of which was Eugene Beauharnais Gibbs (1833-1882), who served as a captain in the 2nd California Infantry during the Civil War. After the war, he was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant the 8th Infantry in the Regular Army, rose to the rank of captain, and served until his death in 1882. During the Sioux Campaign of 1876 he was Aide-de-camp to General Terry in the Dakota Column and was a member of the relief column which arrived at the Battlefield of the Little Big Horn on June 27, 1876, the day following "Custer's Last Stand." The relationship and military service of the other two Gibbs is unknown at this time.

Condition: Excellent. Only modest scabbard wear to blade. The majority of the gilding remains on the hilt. Scabbard with traces of original gilt.