Sword of William F. Karsner

Object/Artifact

Florence Arts and Museums

Name/Title

Sword of William F. Karsner

Entry/Object ID

M.0060

Description

Sword and scabbard and walking stick from the Karnser House on Pine Street in Florence. The sword and scabbard are believed to be from the French company Klingenthal. The walking stick is engraved on the top with "G.W. Karsner."

Context

The sword and scabbard were found beneath a floor board in the Karsner House on Pine Street in 1971, during a restoration. The items were wrapped in a silken cloth. The sword is a French-made sword and believed to have been used by William Franklin Karsner, born in 1831 in Florence and served in the 4th Alabama Infantry during the Civil War. George Washington Karsner (1828-1914) served in the 4th Alabama Infantry during the Civil War and worked as a merchant in Florence after the war.