Hi Fred, Once again, thank you!!! I have been through both of Angolia's books and all to no avail. Perhaps it is time to let this particular beast to go back to sleep??
Thanks again Fred and happy hunting!!!!!
Hi Fred, Once again, thank you!!! I have been through both of Angolia's books and all to no avail. Perhaps it is time to let this particular beast to go back to sleep??
Thanks again Fred and happy hunting!!!!!
Done!! (attached image courtesy of Photobucket)by Michael Ryan
Best Regards, Fred
Hi, A very recent addition to the sword collection which is open to some debate in my opinion. Sword arrived as shown in the photographs here with and without scabbard. The hilt is a standard but early Carl Eickhorn Field Marshall series GFM Wrangel pattern. The blade is however a Weyersberg, Kirschbaum and Cie damascus pipe or quill back with a very pronounced curved.
a. Hilt. Cast in brass and is secured directly to the blade tang but with the back strap secured by a pair of brass dome head pins. The grip is of wood with a black finish and brass wire wrap.
b. Obverse Langet. A typical Eickhorn style Political Eagle and Swastika with foliage wreath and side decoration.
c. Reverse langet. Vertical oval escutcheon with surrounding foliage and acorns.
d. Pommel. Foliage patterned dove head.
e. Blade. Single edged "Maidenhair" damascus steel with single fullers and manufactured by Weyersberg, Kirschbaum and Cie of Solingen. It bears the trade marks of a Knight's Helm and a King's Head over the initials "WKC" on the obverse blade ricasso.
f. Scabbard. Missing.
g. Note. The underside of the quillon block rear finial bears the stamp "Ges Gesch" as per any other Eickhorn Field Marshall sword hilt. The blade however is as described at "E" above. I believe that there could be any of several reasons for the apparent marriage. These include:
1. A straightforward cobble up of two swords for sale and proffit?
2. The original purchaser wanted the Wrangel hilt but preferred the WKC style damascus blade?
3. The old blade has been updated by the attachment of a TR hilt by either the original owner of perhaps a member of his family to whom the sabre had passed?
Personally, I reject #1. There is no evidence of any recent dismantling of the hilt and further, anyone with even the most limited knowledge of German swords should be aware of the Eickhorn Field Marshall series of swords and would have to be pretty silly to cobble such a high profile Eickhorn hilt with a WKC blade leaving the blade trade mark clearly visible in the full and certain knowledge that the match would be detected immediately? Why add a TR hilt to a pointedly Imperial blade when any generic cavalry, artillery or hilt without a TR emblem would have been far less detectable? Makes little or no sense to me.
I also reject #2. As I can not imagine any maker cobbling the blade and hilt for a new weapon? Possible I suppose but highly unlikely in my opinion.
I am inclined to support #3. To me, the most logical reason for this mismatch is likely to be, father's sabre, of high quality damascus and of Huzzar style blade with Imperial style hilt, re-hilted for use by himself or his son during the TR buildup of the army post 1933. But why a Wrangel hilt?? Perhaps the then owner particularly liked that hilt? Or perhaps the owner had some affiliation to GFM Wrangel, a relative of the GFM? Or possibly he or a member of his familly served either under Wrangel or in a regiment affiliated to the GFM? I have no idea.
However, The hilt is original as is the blade and have, in my humble opinion, lived together for a lot of years. I could be totally wrong??
Your comments are, as always, very welcome.
Thanks for posting Michael. Beautiful specimen here. Am not well versed in Third Reich swords but I would think a sword like this would be very valuable. Quite a treasure to own.
Hi Mauser9, Thank you for your kind comments re this sabre, the sword and I thank you.
Regards and best wishes Michael R
Michael, Over the years I've seen both haphazardly (IMO) assembled and professional/factory quality combinations of Imperial and TR swords that I put in my "needing further investigation" category while I continued to gather information. Then I found Weimar regulations that authorized the wearing of some "heirloom" blades as the now German Army reorganized and was engaged in morale boosting. Something that was repeated to some extent as evidenced by some absolutely legitimate presentation types during the earlier TR years as (presumably) morale builders. It's also a fact that while there is unquestionable evidence of changes, to date evidence of some earlier regulations being rescinded has not surfaced - with the assumption being that at least parts of them were still in effect.
So for myself the OEM quality examples IMO, absent anything that I think could be suspect, I tend to give the benefit of thinking as stated in choice # 3. Staying away from those that I think are most likely amateur/postwar assembled. Best Regards, Fred
Hi Fred, thank you for your post, comments and theories etc. As has now become the norm, having posted a new sword on this thread, I sit here in dear old England with bated breath awaiting your input and for your comments. You do not let me down again!!! As always your comments make perfect sense and I was hoping that you would be inclined to agree with comment#3. Thank you. See how much I trust your judgement in these matters?
Now Fred, I am going to show you some photos of a Cavalry sabre in my collection and all I ask of you is, what period or rough date would you give it please?? I will tell you why I am asking this question when you reply. This is not a catch question, you may or may not be surprised at my logic when I reply to you. Please go along with this "favour".
Cheers Michael
Michael, Because of the sharkskin grip my first reaction is Imperial .............. and "in hand" I would be looking for a magnet to test it while I considered some possibilities and took a closer look. Best Regards, Fred
Hi Michael
I think Fred is correct.
It looks like factory assembled sword and it is a beauty.
I have seen similar swords before.
In my opinion some ww1 officers love there blades and let them re hilt when third reich started.
The last one you showing is IMO Weimer armistice period piece.
Also it's a beauty.
Thanks for continuing with this thread.
Good job
Michael, Upon reflection I think that Ivan's perspective is a good one, with an additional provision from what seems to be in the images. Referring to what seems to be iron/steel underneath the plating on at least the knucklebow. My thinking being that during especially later in WW I copper/brass was not used for making swords - and malleable iron/steel a common substitute. Whereas during the Weimar era no such restriction existed and that the hilt, or parts of it are unsold/leftover components from WW I. Not unlike in some respects the fact that they used preexisting issue blades for the Army because funds for new items were extremely limited, and why I asked about a magnet to test it to either confirm or eliminate that possibility. Best Regards to Both, Fred
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