German Sword?
 

a friend of mine asked me if i could help him with this particular sword. unfortunately, my knowledge is limited to moro and filipino stuff, so i told him i could ask around.
what got my attention is the blade. i see damascus pattern on it. i didn't realized european blade can have such vivid pattern. the blade has a stamp on one side:" Freu (?) bis in den Tod", and on the other side "MEYERSBERG & STAMM SOLINGEN EISENHAUER". the handle appears to be wrapped in rayskin. unfortunately, no scabbard. my question is: from what era is this particular sword? is it a pretty common type? it appears to be a naval cutlass.
thanks in advance.

Hi Ron,

can't tell you from which erea this sword but the inscription mean "Treu bis in den Tod", translated "faithful until dead". I think it's from WWI or WWII and it is for sure a german sword.

Regards,

Detlef

tahnk you very much, Detlef! i love the lamination on this particular sword. just gorgeous!

Yes, agree, look very nice. :)

Firstly, I know nothing about European swords .
Caveat over .
The 'Birdseye pattern' screams India repro to me ... :shrug:

I'm probably wrong though . :o

Just google, the other inscription is "Weyersberg & Stamm, Solingen", will tell you more just I find something.

Extremely nice sabre !
I would say this is Austrian cavalry officer and probably special piece - the basket looks like M 1904, while the blade M 1869
(correct should be Weyersberg, not Meyersberg....)

So I find out that it is not german but an austrian "kuk KavOffzS M1869" from around 1870-1880 because Weyersberg & Stamm stop the production 1880.

But I am sure that other members here will be able to tell you many more about this interesting sword.

Well, never afraid to make a fool of myself ... :D

Maybe can add that "kav" mean cavelery, "offz" stay for officer and "S" for sabre.

No more informations from the experts? :o

lol, i was about to post that, Detlef...
Rick: nah, you didn't make a fool out of yourself. so many fakes out there, it's hard to say which is real, and which is not.

Yah Ron, thanks . :o
That Birdseye pattern had me thinking repro .
My ignorance is showing, I guess . ;)

I would love to see other examples of European work in this style .

that's what got me, too, when i saw this sword, but didn't have the heart to tell my friend, lol. i see so much of the repro stuff on gun shows with this type of lamination...

Hi Spunjer,
This is not a fake. As I wrote, basket M1904, blade M1869 style. Austrians used to make laminated blades (maybe special orders) even in the case of infantry models, not only cavalry. They also used to put old blade and newer hilt together. This could be, I would say, private weapon or a weapon made on private request by an cav. officer. Since no expert is comming, I would suggest, If you don´t mind, to send the pictures to Army museum in Prague. They are good experts in Austrian edged weapons, there.
Martin

I've seen a few similar pattern welded "Damascus" blades on sabres of similar age. A very nice piece.
Looks like a mongram on the spine tang-nut.

Very nice M1869 austro hungaric sword, officer model.

The 1869s were the first Austrian standard unified swords for all cavalry type regiments of the line; both heavy and light cavalry. The hilt is similar M1906 as Martin said, but in fact it is not, it is the M1869 type for officers, enliested model had just seven holes in the guard, while thisone is adorned. Blade is private purchase damascus pattern solingen made beauty, I would consider an etching. it should appear with a fair contrast in layers. Interesting that it is fullered only on one side. On top of the hilt is engraved the monogram of the owner. Really nice example

Private purchase blades were a common practice in KuK, I saw one M1869 withe a big and massive scabbard, storing nonthing less than a top quality turkish kilic blade with gold koftgari allover.

Hi Guys,
Here's one of mine, Austrian P1850 hilt Kilic blade. Internet search for 'DamastStahl Sword' or 'Eisenhauer Damast Stahl' will bring up plenty of Imperial German/Austrian swords with "damascus" blades.
Regards,
Norman.

thank you very much for the comments!
I will gladly pass this on to the current owner. Happy New Year!!!

Enclosed please find 2 pictures - cav. officers M1869 and M1904:

M1869 has symmetric basket ending with valute

M1904 has assymetrical basket without valute.

M1869 usually, or mostly employed blades with fuller on outer side only.

Regards,
Martin

That has a beautiful pattern welded damascus blade. While one does have to be careful with the "birds eye" pattern, there are authentic old examples in both Indian and European blades. This one is authentic and Ron you should offer to do a light polish and etch because that pattern will really pop.

Martin: thank you for the confirmation! that's exactly what it is; it has fuller on one side only.
Rick: i'll bring that up to the owner. i can just imagine how it is when etched!

I bring a different angle: I have seen this pattern of damascus on WWI and later Nazi presentation sword blades.