UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons German Sword & Miniatures Forum Great sword with inscription , but what ?

Hello friends,
this one cames directly from the family .An imperial sword , but what ? Opinions are welcome.Thanks , Thomas.

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Ok,the crossed swords are cavallary,but the grip shape looks as naval ?!

Screamer!

Thomas, A very nice high relief example, the blade etching is for a specific cavalry regiment. Add that to crossed sabers on the langet, and undoubtedly the sword was for cavalry.

Typically such unit marked blades were for enlisted �shortimers� who anticipated being in the army a relatively short time to satisfy their military service obligations. With the unit marking signifying the unit that the trooper served with.

However, the hilt is an officer�s pattern (as is the sword), which leaves a couple of possibilities: That for an officer who anticipated being in the army for a relatively short time, or a senior grade NCO. Less likely for an active duty NCO, because top grade senior NCO�s tended to be career minded people and could be reassigned. (Although for an NCO who was retiring and was not going to be reassigned to another regiment having a unit marked blade would not be a bad choice.) And it could always have been a gift. Although I would expect at least some kind of engraved or other inscription to commemorate a gift.

The �bottom line�: An interesting variation of a cavalry officer�s saber.

PS: As for the grip it looks to me like white paint over sharkskin. It could be period. Or it could very, very, easily be somebody�s later idea to make the grip look �better� for some reason ??? My guess is the later. Regards, FP

My guess (based on a little research) is the Prussian Dragoon regiment 14 "Kurmark" around 1870. Grip has been messed with over the years. Great sword.

A good call on the blade's inscription. While I think that it�s earlier rather than later. Where I might have a difference of opinion is with the sword's age. To me it looks like an image of Wilhelm II (1888 -1918) on the back of the �P� guard - not Wilhelm I. FP

That is Willy the 2nd.Mike

Whatever the etch implies, it is beautiful....

Von Ryan

That does appear to be Wilhelm Two. An younger looking image too. So it would have to have been presented after 1888. It still looks like an earlier style sword than that date. Perhaps an earlier style sword representing what he would have carried was ordered for a retirement or honor award to an former member of that regiment at a time after 1888?

That is a profile of Kaiser Bill II on the knuckle guard. I have a Model 89 degen by WKC while the same profile in silver pinned to the pommel.

The sword looks to be a delux version or even an extra fine delux depending on the amount of hand work involved on the hilt. The blade has the optional etching on the three surfaces. This was a special order sword that was fairly expensive due to the options. Very nice!

A painted fish skin grip is not unknown to the period. This grip looks to have been colored before the wire was wrapped. Or so it seems from the picture. Seeing it in hand would clarify that one way or the other.

My 1902 Kaiser prize degen to Major Betz has a blue colored fish skin grip.

Nice sword. Let me know if you would ever want to move it along to a new home.

All the best,

Tony

Unlike Third Reich era swords, etching was very common to both officer�s and enlisted models during the Imperial era. The exceptions were the ultra low cost examples with plain blades - with the notable exception to that of officer�s (heavy duty) fighting swords.

It�s a very nice high relief example and I agree with Tony that it could be a deluxe version. But perhaps not (IMO) extra deluxe because I don�t seem to be seeing the extra hand work/detailing seen with very high quality swords. I�ve seen a painted sharkskin, but usually the layer of paint is not that thick. To me it looks like whomever painted this sword was trying to simulate ivory?? Which is very surprising because natural ivory was relatively abundant, and for a �deluxe� version why fake it? (As Tony stated an in hand would help with the painted grip, and it would help with determining the level of fine detail.)

Personal note: As for the likeness of Willy (or Bill) II, he was not beloved by everyone. And there were some who not have owned such a sword. One of my direct lineal ancestors. A career soldier from Prussia - left Germany with his wife because he did not like Wilhelm II. Whereas he liked and respected the other two emperors that he had served under. FP

Clarification: I�ve seen many examples with painted or colored sharkskin. Blue is unusual with the color usually seen being black. But not with a paint layer heavy enough to obscure the scales of the sharkskin - which seems to be the case here. FP