UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons German Sword & Miniatures Forum WW1 naval lion-head-sword original or not???? HELP

Hi my friends!

Sorry if i am wrong here - I don´t know - I have opened a nwe topic at the reproduction forum - please look at it and tell me if the naval WW1 sword I want to buy is new or original!
Thanks alot - DAN

use this link:

http://daggers.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/760095573/m/5490029304

DAN,

What makes you think that this sword is German beyond it's similar physical characteristics? ?

The Hörster company is still in existence today and makes swords for many foreign military needs.

Rather than a 'reproduction' I would garner that the sword in mention is a contemporary(post WWII) piece made for a foreign need.

Just my thoughts.

John Pepera

Dan,

The sword appears to be a fake from the very poor photographs. A sword with an etched blade to this particular small colonial unit in China would be very rare and very expensive.

Save your money and buy something original.

Thanks for your opinions.

John: I am no professional on swords. I asked for a reproduction because once I bought a WW2 naval lions-head officers sword at a military show/event. It looked very good. As I showed it to collectors I recognized it was a often sold reproduction - all were exactly the same - and I saw several of them in between.
I just wanted to know if there were also such much known WW1 reproductions on the market - especially of this rare unit they should be famous then...

So there are 2 options:
1. It is not what it should be and somebody probably had to pay much money to Hörster for producing it...
2. It is in this way original as a veteran from this unit bought it somewhen after WW1 in memory of his time at this unit...


Thanks alot!

Dan,

There is probably a more telling piece to this puzzle. If the sword were made after WWI as a private purchase sword commemorating the buyer's time in service it would not have Marine property markings. The property markings are Imperial and could not be on a postwar produced sword and should not be on a private purchase officer sword as it would not be naval property. So, the privately etched blade combined with a unit marked hilt make no logical sense. Also, these property markings are not colonial markings but are domestic Werft Division markings from Wilhelmshaven. Not correct in my opinion.

George

Hi George!

I think you are generally right what you are saying.
A small other thing I can say is that there were often markings from the "WERFT - DIVISION" on patriotic items. As much as I know everybody had to be a part of the Werftdivison at the beginning of their career. It was something like a naval school als much as I heared from collectors.

I am generelly collecting WW1 regimental steins and pipes... there you can see quite often the markings of the Werftdivision + the ship they served on for example... on the same stein. It always sounds: Zur Einnerung an meine Dienstzeit an der SMS Moltke und der Marine- Werft- Division Kiel" - for example.

thanks for your help!

DAN