Corpse carrier sword 19thc Austro-Hungary and mourning swords

M ELEY · 20th July 2025, 01:33 AM

Hello Jim and thank you for posting this fascinating sword. I know you and I have discussed it briefly in the past (and due to the rarity and much lack of materials on them, the info was very brief!). I remember seeing one in the several hundred sword auction catalogs I acquired back in the day and took some time to browse through the pile! (Flaydermann's, Frederick's Swords, Dale C. Anderson, Museum of Historical Arms, etc, etc) and I finally found one in William Fagan & Co, Catalog 62 (#327) from the mid-90's. I was so hoping they would list a source, but alas, they did not. Theirs was exactly like yours, with the 'Solingen' stamp. They mentioned they were (as we already know!) carried by the corpse carriers, but what I didn't realize was that these were military funerals only ("Unique pattern for military pall bearers). Theirs had tiny edge bruises "from salutes" per their description. Their example had a black leather scabbard with iron mounts just like yours. In decribing it, they mention that the knuckle bow was separate and riveted through the cross guard. Interestingly, they said it was the 'only one' they'd ever come across or sold, which is saying something considering they've been in business since 1965!! I've never seen another in any other auction or catalog. Yours is a very rare sword indeed!

20th July 2025, 01:33 AM	#2
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,192	Hello Jim and thank you for posting this fascinating sword. I know you and I have discussed it briefly in the past (and due to the rarity and much lack of materials on them, the info was very brief!). I remember seeing one in the several hundred sword auction catalogs I acquired back in the day and took some time to browse through the pile! (Flaydermann's, Frederick's Swords, Dale C. Anderson, Museum of Historical Arms, etc, etc) and I finally found one in William Fagan & Co, Catalog 62 (#327) from the mid-90's. I was so hoping they would list a source, but alas, they did not. Theirs was exactly like yours, with the 'Solingen' stamp. They mentioned they were (as we already know!) carried by the corpse carriers, but what I didn't realize was that these were military funerals only ("Unique pattern for military pall bearers). Theirs had tiny edge bruises "from salutes" per their description. Their example had a black leather scabbard with iron mounts just like yours. In decribing it, they mention that the knuckle bow was separate and riveted through the cross guard. Interestingly, they said it was the 'only one' they'd ever come across or sold, which is saying something considering they've been in business since 1965!! I've never seen another in any other auction or catalog. Yours is a very rare sword indeed!