M1861 Austrian officers sabre.

David R · 30th November 2021, 02:00 PM

I saw the odd one or two of these turning up at the fairs from a few years ago. Considering how solid and nice most Austrian swords are, these are really quite a contrast. Very cheap looking and often with flaking plating. This one turned up on Sunday, over-cleaned no visible markings and minus scabbard, but inexpensive enough that I was happy to buy it as an example of type. The guard is flat flimsy and plain, but the blade though narrow is serviceable. I suspect the bulk of them date to the WW1 expansion of the army to over seven million men. The pattern is still current for the Austrian army.

30th November 2021, 02:00 PM	#1
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,051	M1861 Austrian officers sabre. I saw the odd one or two of these turning up at the fairs from a few years ago. Considering how solid and nice most Austrian swords are, these are really quite a contrast. Very cheap looking and often with flaking plating. This one turned up on Sunday, over-cleaned no visible markings and minus scabbard, but inexpensive enough that I was happy to buy it as an example of type. The guard is flat flimsy and plain, but the blade though narrow is serviceable. I suspect the bulk of them date to the WW1 expansion of the army to over seven million men. The pattern is still current for the Austrian army. Attached Images