IVORY AND STAG GRIP CUTLASSES
ETCHED DEDICATION BLADES

Early Third Reich Hunting Hirschfangers. The stag grip piece has both blades etched. It is stamped WKC.
The ivory grip is etched with a three-line dedication. The other side with the standard running buck and doe etch with the hunter. The Eickhorn trademark is stamped very heavy.

If Bill Warda will be so kind, please decipher the German dedications or wording.

Front view of etched blades

Reverse view of etched blades.

Front view of stag frip blade.

Reverse view of stag grip blade.

Front view of ivory grip blade.

Reverse view of ivory grip blade.

Thank you for looking. I hope you enjoy the German Hirschfangers.

HUBERTUS

Very nice! You know, I was going to start collecting just hirschfangers, but can you believe my wife called them "gaudy"?!

The first blade with the stag handle says:

Honorary Award by the shooting club of the community forest service of Saarlouis-Werzig for the competition match on 21. September 1929.

The next one:

Founded by Mathias Hain, Trier

The ivory gripped blade:

To the forester Mr. Huettner, Stein (town), for his 25th service anniversary
Dedicated by regional forestry administrator and member of the Princely Schoenberg Forestry Office in Stein, Erzbegirge (Erz Mountains).

Ralph, Once again I can't stop drooling. These presentation pieces are the best!

Ralph, Just wonderful, I think Mikee has it right the presentation pieces are just the best. Here's a few I have. This one is a WKC, a shooting prize given for the best shot in a MG competition.

Gary

2

This one is my favourite, Paul Weyersberg, given in 1937 for the 500th anniversary from one shooting club to another.

2a

3

This one is an Alcoso, given to the president of the St Sebastianus shooting club in 1930 as a gift for his 25th year as president.

4

5

Ralph, Gary,
Absolutely incredible. Artistic beauty and magnificent examples of only the best. Just unreal!

You guys are killing me Beautiful pieces all of them.I can remember 20 yrs back you would see Hunting and Foresty daggers,If they didn't have a swaz on them no one was to interested Including myself Today I think they are reconized for there true value of workmanship

Your right Ed, sometimes you have to pay big bucks to get one of these, I sure would have liked to have been collecting 20 years ago, I could have had a field day. Here's another, not maker marked on the blade but has "AB" on the tang, August Bickel from the weimar period I would say.

Gary

2

3

Two stag grip Hirschfangers to add to this sequence of etched blades.
One is dated 1890 and the other 1898.
I will need some more help in deciphering all the German wording on these two blades.

The clamshells are something to look at on their own. Notice the lettering symbols in the center of both of them. There seems to be D A V and I guess it is an I or number 1. The symbol on one of the blades is plain and the other has more detail to it. The acorns and the leaves are very fine compared to later clam shells and cross guards I have seen.

This is the front side of the blade dated 1890.

This is the reverse side. The makers stamped mark reads...JOS.MAYER GORLITZ

The front side of the blade with the scabbard is dated 29 Aug. 1898.

This is the reverse side of the above blade. It is stamped with the makers mark J.MAYER GORLITZ

SAINT HUBERTUS CHAIN PIN
The detail on this pin seems to go along with the same type of detail on the two clamshells. Lots of detail on the gold and silver acorns and the stag skull with the Hubertus cross impression.

Thanks again for looking,
HUBERTUS

Ralph, You have just about blown me away, I cannot believe what I have just seen, both of the cutlasses were awarded by the ADJV, Thats the National German Hunting protection association, thats whats on the grip emblem. they are without doubt the most beautiful pair of cutlasses I have ever seen, if I ever get close to your collection I will inded be a very lucky guy, I'm speechless and very envious. I shouldn't be surprised but I am, you have just the best collection. On a more interesting note I had thought that this style badge was of a later design, now that has been proved wrong as well. Just don't ever stop showing your collection.

My greatest admiration.

Gary

Well I can't let that pair go without showing at least one more piece though compered to Ralph's it's a paltry offering.
Marked JA Henckels this piece was given to Baron von Adelebson on his 50th birthday, it was awarded by the Lübecker Jagdschutzverein, this is a regional club rather than the national association on Ralph's pieces.

Gary

Dated 1923

His castle still stands today somewhere near Hamburg I think.

Here's one that's quite tame compared to Ralph and Gary's examples. Comes from Alexander Coppel given as a Honor prize.

Ralph, Gary, I for one have thoroughly enjoyed your fine collections.

.

Mikee, thats anything BUT tame, it's a piece that would grace any collection,sometimes it beggers belief why more guys do not collect these, the variety, rarity and craftsmanship deserve a much wider collecting audience, at least there's more for us this way.

Gary.

These all are wonderful blades and they are extremely nice examples of skillful made etchings. Each one a high quality dagger.

Hubertus, the first one "this is the front side of the blade dated 1890" reads:
Der Allgemeine Deutsche Jagdschutz Verein/Dem Revierförster Freiherrn von Hunolstein in Liebeneck in Anerkennung / seiner am 1ten Juni 1890 an den Tag gelegten Umsicht und Entschlossenheit
transl: The general german protection-of-hunt association / to the professional-district-hunter (=forester) baron of Hunolstein at Liebeneck in recognition / of his, on the 1st of june 1890, shown circumspection and determination
The inscription without any doubt is related to any happening on the certain day, perhaps, as usual at these times, a fight against poachers or any heroic deed to protect his master during any danger but these are only assumtions as the happening itself is not mentioned. But perhaps could be resarched due to the fact that this high quality blade has been given because of this event.
The second one "the front side of the blade with the scabbard is dated 29.Aug.1898" reads:
Ehrengeschenk des Allgemeinen Deutschen Jagdschutz-Vereins/ dem Königl. Forstaufseher Huk(?-cannot read exactly this name because of the pic) für gute Leistungen im Jagdschutz 28.Aug.1898
transl: Honor-gift of the general german protection-of-hunt association/ to the royal hunting-guard (forester) Huk (name of the individuum, but I cannot read exactly due to the pic) for good archievments in protction-of-hunt 28 august 1898
Hope this helps.

Wonderful and very rare.

Ralph, Baz and Mikee,

Thanks for the veritable feast for the eyes!
Between the three of you, there's enough for a good sized museum... amazing! Outside of the Klingenmuseum in Solingen, I don't know where else a collector could see a finer assembly of
Hirschfänger, and I'm not kidding. For that matter, one only gets to see a smattering of nice photos of these wonderful pieces here and there. Simply not enough!

To me these pieces represent a very important aspect of collecting German edged weapons. The hunting and forestry daggers are colorful representatives of the social fabric of earlier times and are inseperably bound to the very foundation of this fantastic hobby. Let's not forget that the Knight's Cross winners and all the other military heroes were products of a society that was very much bound to the land and preserving the old ways, the laws of nature.

I think that's part of why the German people respected and admired the American Indians so much, that close, respectful kinship a people has with the earth and her animals.

That ideology is really something amazing when one takes some time to think about it ...

Thanks to Manfred and Wotan for the great translations, too. Excellent, a great thread!

Bill

DJVD CASED MEDAL
I just obtained this medal and I thought it would go with the theme of the two clam shells on the hirschfangers shown in this forum.

If WOTON or BILL WARDA would be so kind as to decipher the written page in German that came with the medal, it would be appreciated.

Sincerely,

HUBERTUS


Diese Silber-Medaille des A.D.J.V. wurde meinem Vater Otto Lanz mit bieliegenden Schreliben des Vorsitzenden Geh.Rates Emil Dreiss vom 22.4.1929 verliehen unter Beifugung aller damaliger Namen der Mitglieder, durch die er einstimmig zum 1. Vorsitzenden gewahlt wurde. Vater konnte dieses Ehrenamt nicht mehr ubernehmen,da er 3 Tage spater am 25 April 1929 im Cannsatter Krankenhaus vestorben ist! Dies Madaille war somit die letzte Auszeichnung seitens seiner Collegen der grunen Farbe!
Hubert Lanz, Gen a.D. April 1929

FRONT VIEW
Manfred and Wotan I hope the pictures aare clear enough to read.

REAR VIEW OF MEDAL

Thank you for looking,
Sincerely,
HUBERTUS

This silver medal of the A.D.J.V. has been awarded to my father Otto Lanz together with the enclosed writing of the chairman Geh.Rates (is a kind of gov. grade "Geheimer Rat" or "Geheimrat") Emil Dreiss on 22th of april 1929, under addition of all members at those times, who have elected him in unanimity (do not know for sur if this is the right word)to first chaiman. (My) father could not take over this honor function any more as three days later, on 25th of april 1929, he has died in the hospital of Cannsatt. This medal therefore has been the last decoration which has come from his colleges (friends) of the green color (=hunters). Hubert Lanz, General (ret.) in april 1929.
Hope it helps. It was very helpful for me that you have written down the german text seperately, translate direct from the pic would have been a hard work.

Here's a similar award to ralphs in the case of issue.

Gary

reverse

Thanks to all of you gentlemen who contributed to this fine presentation. I, very much, enjoy this forum, viewing your 'stuff' and also learning as I go... I continue to be awed.........................
Best regards & continued good hunting......

Well I dug out another one, this piece is an early 3rd reich example given as an honor gift by the ADJV in May 1934.To have been awarded this the guy must have done something very special, probably along the lines of catching poachers or an extreme act of bravery.
You must have lots more ralph, lets see them.

Gary

2

See a similar example in TJ Vol 3 Pg 55, the senior version of this hirschfänger.

Marked with the 34/35 double oval Eickhorn mark.

Gary

Here's a better picture of the blade etch.

Gary

The dedication on the reverse of the top scabbard mount,

I'm reading and looking at all of these wonderful daggers.Has anyone noticed the condition of them.After 60+ yrs we see what has happened to 3 Reich era daggers.These daggers are in great shape to include the gold on dedications.This is another sign of the great craftmanship in daggers that are in some cases over 100yrs old

Ed, As I'm sure you know, trying to get a picture down to 75 Kb is tricky sometimes, I tend to lose a few details sometimes, the last piece I posted is a lot better than the pictures, A lot of the presented pieces I have posted were I'm sure tucked away in a drawer somewhere and some have not seen the light of day for 60 + years. These pieces were treasured by their original owners because they mean't so much to them.
Here's a sneak preview of a piece I got in tonight, straight out of Germany. Awarded to Unteroffiziere Rinne of the 11th Company of the 18th Regiment for winning the same all comers NCO competition for 3 consecutive years in 1926/27/28. Just a bit of work on the scabbard and a very light clean on the blade is all that is needed.

Gary

2

A classic WKC all the way, graduated acorns, clamshell and a great pommel and nut.

Reverse of the top scabbard mount.

I should clarify this is for a shooting competition.

Bringing this thread up from the doldrums, it needs to be seen on a regular basis, I'll have to check to see if I have anything else to add, I'm sure a few of you guys might be able to add to this thread, Ralph where are you.

Gary

I had to check to see if I had this one posted already, a presented shooting association hirschfänger with orange grip, whilst unmarked it has the blade etch unique to Puma.

Gary

2

3

IMO these dagger are underappriciated by most in the collecting community. They are by far the higest quality edged wepons ever made by the Germans. Please keep posting!

Imperial are the best!! Third Reich Production items very little hand work in general.

Beautiful and rare daggers posted. Also a rare and enjoyable thread. Thanks to all for sharing these wonderful blades.

-serge-

Wow Gary. Beauty, what is the grip?

Paul

The grip is solid trolon, not many around.

Thanks

Gary

.....which explains the lack of cracking around the circumference...as always Gary, just superb.

Paul

Wish they were all made with trolon.
Gary it's always a pleasure seeing your stuff. Thanks for sharing.

This thread needs another shot in the arm
A WKC pattern 101, a presentation for 30 years of service in heartfelt thanks by the spa town of Schmiedeberg by Halle on the river on 16th December 1924.

I'm sure there must be more out there.

Gary

blade presentation

reverse blade

clamshell and hilt

A very fine piece Gary. I guess there are not many posting photos as there are not that many of these daggers. Nice and interesting to see the boarhead cross guard on such an early piece.
Do you gave a photo album? I'd sure like to see it at the MAX.

A nice blade

Close up.

Other side.
Sincerely,
HUBERTUS

Houston, Perhaps they are rare and not many about but they are available, this piece was on Ebay only a couple months ago, perhaps I was lucky that I was the only bidder and got it for $850, pretty affordable for most collectors I think.
A beautiful piece Ralph, I have yet to find a decent long bavarian, I'm sure one will turn up at some time.

Cheers

Gary

Gary-I would say that was VERY lucky! Indeed.

A new addition to a great thread:

Carl Eickhorn, special order, Nr. 1456 Hirschfanger, "Triple-Oval" maker's mark with presentation on blade:


Der 7. Komp. Reichswehr Inf. Regt. 17

Traditionskomp. d. Inf. Regts. Herzog Ferdinand v. Braunschweig 8. Westf. Nr. 57

Als Wanderschießpreis gestiftet von der vereing. ehem. 57er am 7. 3. 31.

I like it , thanks for sharing.