UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons Hunting, Forestry, and Shooting Forum A very nice HENCKEL

A MAX SHOW PURCHASE from the number one table about 20 years ago. It cost $4,000.00 then so it will help give the new members an idea of price when something extra nice comes along.
It is just a great piece because it is a HENCKEL and the condition is about as fine as you will see even now.
If you are not a collector you will probably not understand the value. I wish the pictures were a little better so you could see the gold on the blade etching.

Sincerely,
HUBERTUS

4 more pictures

HUBERTUS,that is amazing dagger.
I have never seen something like this.

Congrats
Stingray

This is an awesome example of the ART of the prewar Henckels Fangers!! The hilt is a freaking SCULPTURE and that etch is an art deco beauty..They had some great designers that really seperated them from other Blade makers!! I just wonder why they stopped making these standout pieces after WW2?? I guess the German era of excess was over after the war...

Absolutely stunning!!!

The quality, craftsmanship, and attention to detail is just remarkable!!!


Rich

Superlative piece-do you have the skinner?
Paul

THIS is REAL fire gilding with special highly polished edges. Not the little polished, laquered brass surface so many collectors think to be gilded/fire gilded. Even at these early times when it was used more often, fire gilding was a sure sign of a high quality edged weapon!
And an extremely pure art deco etching you very seldom or even never will see again. Nice.
Wonderful piece and imho for sure did encrease worth.
Although I am fixed in the 33-45 period I never would mind to add such a hunting weapon to my personal collection.

@ Paul: In the last pic and in the second pic of the second contribution you can see the skinner in place.

Regards,

Ralph,

It's always a pleasure viewing every post of yours and seeing your collection. You are an inspiration and have cemented your name in this hobby for having one of the greatest collections of it's type. Thank you.

Nothing shabby about this dagger.Anyone who collects Hunting understands the price.I would love to have an item of this quality in my collection.

Ralph,

Another spectacular piece from your extensive treasure-trove of fine German hunting and forestry weapons!

The only thing better than seeing such an exceptional weapon is actually owning one, or at least getting to inspect one firsthand. As our learned colleagues have pointed out, having a Hirschfänger like this would be nothing less than a dream come true.

Thanks so much for the inspiration and encouragement you've provided us with these many years.

Best wishes!

Bill

I don't think it can come much better than this piece, Henckels were a maker above all others when it comes to hirschfängers, the mercury gilt is a sight for sore eyes, it gives the fittings a great depth.

A beautiful Hirschfänger Ralph, I certainly would have bought it at that price even all those years ago.

Here is another Henckels that has the same mercury gilt fittings.


Gary

Agree on Henckel being the very best. I may have shown this silver presentation piece before, but if not!! It is one of my favorites. Sorry if some of the pictures are dupes for been some time since I did this. James

Simply amazing, all of them!

Great scores, guys, no matter what the price.

John

I forgot to add the presentation from Duke Edward as a picture. It also has an original knot and fabric hanger which i will take later. James

James

An absolutely fabulous hirschfänger, yours seems to have the same clamshell and hilt as Ralph's but in silver, they are as wonderful as each other in my eyes, the cream of the crop for sure.

Gary

Hubertus, Gary and James, Indeed these are 'WOW' examples of the Top of the Art in Hirschfangers. What a pleasure to see.
Gary your example with that 'Yellow Panel' is got to be one of the rarest I've seen.

Thanks gents for sharing the rare beauties.

Serge

Gary,James,

Magnificent specimens, a quality of craftsmanship and beauty rarely seen today. Thanks for showing them.

I want to thank everyone one that participated in this post and also thank those that added to it with their photographs. It helped give a lift to the thoughts that there are still a lot of hunting and Forestry interest out there.

I have added two long and short blades of the Third Reich Henckels to this post. A good comparison for the many types this company did make.

Again a appreciation thank you for all of the posts for the HENCKELS.

Sincerely,
HUBERTUS

Two more photographs.

A question and I hope not an ignorant one. Were these peices considered war trophies? After the war did the GI's confiscate these as the spoils of war and bring them back to the US? Thanks,Ian.

Ian,

In no way is that an ignorant question, in fact, just the opposite. Whoever hasn't wondered how all these weapons turned up here in our collections doesn't have a proper feel for the hobby. In a word yes, the lion's share are "war-booty," plain and simple. When the war ended in Germany and the allies set up shop in that country's villages, towns and cities, they immediately posted new orders and regulations for the entire civilian population. Non-compliance was not an option and severe penalties would be meted out for disobedience. One of these new regulations stated that all weapons were to be turned in immediately to allied collecting points. Weapons were to include all modern and antique military and civilian firearms - rifles, shotguns, pistols, swords, knives and other edged weapons - everything was to be confiscated by the occupying forces, on the double! Some of this bounty would include priceless arms, armor and weapons collections. Many of these small-arms mountains were destroyed outright, tanks and other heavy vehicles would crush the endless piles into so much rubbish, or they were bulldozed over bridges into deep rivers. Thank God, however, for the commanding officer's who let their men take what they wanted, as is any soldier's right to share in the spoils. And so these weapons came to be dispersed all over the world with their new owners, the victors. Additionally, we also have a smaller percentage of items that had been safely secreted away, that have found the way into the collecting markets since the end of the war. There are numerous firsthand accounts and photographs that detail what I've roughly described if you're interested. I hope this will help you get a better idea of how some of these items ended up here on the forums.

Gary, James and Ralph,

Your three Hirschfänger must have come out of Smaug's treasure hoard, no..?

Love the crossguard detail to the Henckels DJ with the design below the ferrule, those fat, stout legs and hooves are simply killer!

Thanks guys!

Bill

Thank you Bill for you're answer. I gerw up in Wayne not too far down 252 from you. These are very beautiful items, I find their history fascinating, Ian.

One can seem to find many more of the Imperial schutzen chains, than the 3rd Reich ones. This one is interesting in that it could have been worn by the town mayor or the Colonel that was in charge of the schutzenverein. The chain is from Hamm, 1938 and the St. Sebastian Schutzenverein. Konig was Joseph Schwarzenberg, Konigin was Fra Lucia Baxpohler and the Colonel was Franz Menke. Each of the 3rd Reich events had a ranking 3rd Reich officer assigned to each event. Sorry for the picture quality, but have had a difficult time with the silver. I would enjoy seeing any chains you collectors may have. James