German Sword

**Rancid66** · 01-23-2014, 05:05 PM

The handle looks like one for NCO sword, but my blade has reminds me M89 degen.

A imperial NCO saber should look like this:

I'm not 100% sure.

Regards
Vedran

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 01-23-2014 05:05 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**douglas2496** · 01-23-2014, 06:50 PM

Ok, thanks for that, this is obviously worrying, are there any other opinions on this?

**Adrian Stevenson** · 01-23-2014, 06:55 PM

I don't see any problem with it.

Cheers, Ade.

**douglas2496** · 01-23-2014, 07:23 PM

Thanks Adrian, have you seen a sword with this blade/hilt combination before? I have been looking at other examples and I can't find a match, I would therefore have been inclined to conclude that the sword had indeed been re-hilted as Rancid66 has suggested, but of course I take your opinion very seriously.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 01-23-2014, 07:32 PM

I am certain I have.

I think had the blade been refitted you would see tampering to the tang where it passes through the hilt? Any evidence of this?

Period documentation is also key here. See if you can find the cataloge.

Cheers, Ade.

**douglas2496** · 01-23-2014, 07:42 PM

Thanks. The blade appears properly and perfectly fitted. How might I find the catalogue?

**Adrian Stevenson** · 01-23-2014, 07:57 PM

Then you have little to worry about.

Do a search on the maker. Many edged weapon catalogues have been reprinted or scanned.

**Frogprince** · 01-24-2014, 12:44 AM

The maker is probably P. D. Lüneschloss in Solingen. With the blade IMO from an Imperial era government issue model IOD 89. With the sword possibly being a Weimar era/transitional Deutscher Heeres Offiziers - Einheitssäbel for senior grade NCO's (ie: für Unteroffizier mit Portepee). In other words possibly a partial conversion in a period when the Reichswehr and German state had to recycle a lot of military items because they could not afford new items. Not a forgone conclusion, but that is what I would be checking for "in hand". Best Regards, Fred

**douglas2496** · 01-24-2014, 12:57 AM

Thanks Fred, this is rather the sort of conclusion I am erring towards. It certainly seems to be a 89 pattern blade which has been professionally re-hilted. This also explains why the makers name is now impossible to read in full, as it would have been exposed on an M89 sword.

Of course, providing the work is period done I will continue to be very happy it.

**Michael Ryan** · 01-25-2014, 08:24 PM

Hi Doug, Thank you for your message. This is the first time that I have viewed this thread. I have read through the various comments and agree with most of what has been said. The pattern of hilt was carried forward through the inter war years and was also in use during the TR. So I would have no problem with mounting your knot on the sword. With regard to the mismatch of hilt type and blade, what Fred said is a very plausable logic given that the Imperial hilt was by then obsolete and to replace it with sabre hilt would have been a relatively easy alteration. My only reservation with this is that if the replacement of hilts was an accepted miliary policy I am surprised that there appears to be no other examples on the forum and as a sword collector, it is new to me. It is not an ammalgamation that I have ever come accross? Another possibility has crossed my mind and that is that a guy has joined the Army and had his dad's sword rehilted in order to save a few quid, sorry Marks? On this pattern sword, the tang is usually left prodruding through the dove head pommel and is then pienned back into a countersunk hole in the head thus forming a rivet. It would then have been filed and polished. In order to do this, the tang will have been re shaped as it would not take a sabre hilt in its original form. If there is any evidence of the tang and head being tampered with then I would say that it is likely to be a "parts" sword otherwise, it is just an oddity from the war and well worth having! If it came my way, I would happily buy it!!

Hope that this is of interest for you
Cheers MR

PS Re the scabbard, all I would do with it is give it a light clean with some fine wire wool and several coats of black boot polish. I think that you will like the result. If the blade is abit messy try the same but use clear boot polish. The polish protects the metal from sticky bread hooks and can be removed if required with white spirit. Far better than oil or grease etc.