The Manufactory produced muskets, bayonets, rifles, swords, pistols, cannon and the accouterments necessary for these weapons. It was situated on the west end of Richmond immediately beyond the city limits on the south side of the James River Canal and would eventually consist of a significant concentration industrial buildings and specialized machinery. The Manufactory’s founding was intended to secure a steady, reliable supply of arms of quality for the Virginia Militia, to reduce the State’s reliance on Federal contracting and to stimulate local industry. Its history and output have been chronicled by Giles Cromwell in his comprehensive The Virginia Manufactory of Arms published in 1975 from which the majority of information in this commentary has been gleaned. The Virginia Manufactory of Arms was established by the General Assembly in 1798. He returned to Virginia by 1814 where he worked at the Virginia Arms Manufactory as a sword cutler.”
Winner also had a six month contract in June 1810 to provide horseman’s swords but did not fulfill the contract due to intemperance. Winner joined Abraham Nippes and John Steinman in Philadelphia where they had a musket contract in 1808 and delivered 3,900 by the Autumn of 1812. He made the blade for the sword presented to Lt. He began in Richmond in 1803 forging sword hilts and blades. According to information compiled by C.S. Attesting to Winner’s status as a master cutler was his commissioning in 1807 to forge and complete a sword with silver wire for General Eaton. James Winner, who marked this sword, was likely a native of Pennsylvania and among the many skilled artisans recruited by the Superintendent of the new Manufactory, John Clarke.
The handful of other swords marked by Winner that have been located are not Virginia Manufactory models and are marked on the side rather than top of the blade. It may be that he produced the sword when in Richmond as an example or model for consideration prior to production, crafted it for himself, or possibly while in Philadelphia as an example of his proficiency while soliciting a contract. It would have been quite unusual for him to have marked a blade made when he was an employee but equally unlikely for him to have produced an exact replica of the Second Model sword and scabbard while working elsewhere. It is not clear if this sword was made by Winner while at the Manufactory.
Possibly the Virginia Manufactory of Arms SECOND MODEL CALVARY PATTERN SWORD WITH SCABBARD
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