CONFEDERATE COOK & BROTHER NAVAL CUTLASS
inv # 02-14531

Overall length: 26 1/4″
Blade length: 20 3/4″

In late January of 1861, Louisiana seceded from the Union & Ferdinand & Francis Cook established an armory located at 1 Canal Street in New Orleans. The first arms contract for Cook & Brother w/ the Confederacy was written on April 1, 1862. Cook & Brother became one of the largest arms manufacturers in the Confederacy but had to flee New Orleans ahead of Union troops. The firm was reestablished in Athens, Georgia where the company remained until war’s end. Cook & Brother employed 400 workers during their peak production period & formed the “Armory Guard”, a militia unit that fought for the Confederacy. Ferdinand Cook was killed while leading the guard in battle during 1864. The Cook & Brother cutlass was patterned after the popular US M1841 naval cutlass. This example also includes a rare original Cook & Brother scabbard seldom found w/ this rare cutlass. The blade has a slightly raised medial ridge & a solid brass hilt. The hilt features a lg. handguard common to naval cutlasses. The inside of the guard is stamped, “COOK & BROTHER”. Fish scale style grip & ovoid pommel. Brass mounted leather scabbard w/ frog stud on throat.