Rare, M1849 Engraved Colt M1849 Pocket Revolver & Horstmann & Sons Engraved Knights Head, Knights Templar Sword with the Secret Society Knights of the Golden Circle Emblems or symbols ordered at the time for two members of the Society. Knights of the Golden Circle Secret Society was a Paramilitary organization started in the 1850s who wanted to annex a golden circle of territories in US Southern slave states, Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean as slave territories. When the Civil War broke out the Knights of the Golden Circle became the Confederacy's strongest ally. Many Southern Officers were in this organization & many of the Southern soldiers were also members. During the war they also became known as the Sons of Liberty & were also known as Copperheads in the North. They even said the Governor of Ky was a member & also John Wilkes Booth. During the war they helped finance Quantril's Raiders & was thought that Jesse & Frank James & Cole Younger were members. During the CW in the North if you caught as being a member of the KGC you were jailed. There is a lot of info on this secret Society on the internet. These two weapons have the KGC emblems engraved on them. The M1849 Engraved Colt Revolver has the KGC symbol of the Skull & Cross bones on the back strap. This Colt had to have been ordered from Colt probably in the 1850s before the war as the engraving of the Skull & Cross bones & floral scroll still has some of the original silver still intact over the engravings. The Colt M1849 has all matching serial nos. including the wedge of 61417 which came out of Colts factory in 1853. Colt has the two line New York City address on the barrel. This 5 shot .31 cal. has 4" oct. barrel. The back strap is engraved with the skull & crossbones, Heart & floral scrolls. The trigger guard has an E & G stamping & is engraved on bottom the owners initials M.F.B. There are traces of the silver finish on both the Trigger guard & Back strap. Action is very good. Smooth metal dark with areas of dark original finish intact. Cylinder is marked with Colt Patent No. 61417. Around 35 to 40% of the dark cylinder scene intact. Wood grips have a large amount of the original varnish intact. The sword was also ordered from Horstmann in the 1850s & has the Skull & crossbones engraved in relief on the guard of the sword. This had to have been ordered from Horstmann at the time. The sword has the Knights head pommel with either bone or ivory grip & has the Knights templar Cross attached. The Cross guard has the skull & 'crossbones along with stars on one side & large star with cross inside & stars on the other side. The heavy blade is double edged & is 25 1/2" long. Blade engraved with W.H. Horstmann & Sons with floral Circle with Cross, Knight, Shield with Cross & floral on one side & on the other side engraved with Philadelphia, floral, larger cross, shield with Maltese cross, banners & floral. Metal scabbard with two hangers & rings, Star on drag, Engraved with Knights head, floral Triangle with symbols & Cross on hanger. these two weapons were ordered & manufactured by Colt & Horstmann for the people who were in the Knights of the Golden Circle before the Civil War. They are very rare to find with the KGC symbols. Have had only one other.