# Communities > Antique Arms & Armour Community > Antique & Military Sword Forum >  M.C. Lilley & Co. Military Academy Sword

## George Wheeler

Gentlemen,

I have a Military Academy sword trade marked by M.C. Lilley & Company in Columnbus, Ohio.  This sword was regulation from roughly 1872 until 1922 when the "MA" in the guard was changed to a helmet device.  The sword is named to the cadet but I am trying to find the correct time period for this sword.

Mitchell C. Lilley & Company started in 1851 and the name, "The M.C. Lilley & Co." was trademarked in 1882.  I am having trouble finding the end date of this marking.  Period catalogs seem to show this company trade name being used until around WWI and the 1924 catalog name shows, "The Lilley Co."  Lilley absorbed Henderson-Ames in 1923 and swords were generally marked in this manner for the next ten years.

This Military Academy sword obviously pre-dates 1922 but it would be nice to narrow down the time frame from 1882 to 1922.  

Does anyone have a M.C. Lilley & Company catalog from this tiime period that shows this sword?

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## George Wheeler

Anyone with any thoughts or information on "The M.C. Lilley & Co." marking?

The sword knot that accompanied this sword is the one worn on the Model 1902 Officer Sword.  Assuming the sword knot is original to the sword, it would seem to narrow the time frame for this particular sword down to circa 1902-1924.

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## Glen C.

The only thing that had come to mind was a dealer's reference of these (J Pettit via Gunbroker mebbe, it's all a blur) being a standard pattern from the 1880s (iirc) until 1902 but he offers no background for that statement. There are some other Listings i can look at again but I don't recall anything pertinent to this maker's mark. let me check a couple of more notes sources though. I don't recall if Ron Ruble breaks down the markings for this source (for instance). I think it was Pettit that was listing it as a militia officer sword vs academy which might have been from catalog literature.

Cheers

Hotspur; _they may have continued use much longer than their manufacture period, so the knot cold have been added anytime after those appeared_

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## Glen C.

From Ron Rubles site. BTW his entire inventory is MINE!!! jk :Embarrassment: 

Sword markings by date.

LILLEY AMES CO. 
Columbus Ohio 1951-1953 	

THE LILLEY-AMES CO. 
Columbus Ohio 1931-1951 

THE LILLEY CO. 
Columbus Ohio 1925-1931 	

THE M. C. LILLEY & CO 
Columbus Ohio 1882-1925 

M. C. LILLEY & CO 
Columbus Ohio 1865-1882 	

MITCHELL C. LILLEY 
Columbus Ohio up to 1865


Cheers

Hotspur; _I guess that's all pretty redundant to what you have so far but let me check something else._

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## George Wheeler

Glen,

Thank you for the breakdown of the sword marking.  I will try and research the Cadet's name a bit later but I guess I will still have to throw a wide net to encompass the possible dates for this sword.  

George

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