WWI or WWII Sword?

[kmk1012]

I've had this thing banging around the back of one gun safe or another for close to 20 years now. Got it from my father in law, he said it's old but that's all he knows about it. The overall condition is pretty rough but I'd like to know all about it. My son is heavily into old war relics and is excited to find more about it. I think it's a German Imperial Officers Sword but cannot date it. Here's some pics. He (father in law) said possibly Civil War era but I think it's far newer.

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[Knobgoblin]

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[Oro]

I am not a sword guy, but I do know enough to know that is styled like a British 1805 Pattern naval officer's sword.

The lion head pommel and guard are distinctive. Normally where you have crossed cannons, there would be a fouled anchor. But these have been in production for 200+ years by many makers, so variations are normal.

A person who truly knows Royal Navy swords may be able to ID it based on the variations, or some googling of "1805 Royal Navy pattern" will get you much info. It was widely copied so it could indeed be German, but the core pattern is the 1805. I would find it odd if they copied the British lion - highly nationally identified with GB, into German service. The crossed cannons may imply an artillery branch. I am not a sword expert at all but an avid naval history student, and recognize the basic pattern, and there may have been other services who copied it of which I have no idea.

 

[Alexx1401]

I've had this thing banging around the back of one gun safe or another for close to 20 years now. Got it from my father in law, he said it's old but that's all he knows about it. The overall condition is pretty rough but I'd like to know all about it. My son is heavily into old war relics and is excited to find more about it. I think it's a German Imperial Officers Sword but cannot date it. Here's some pics. He (father in law) said possibly Civil War era but I think it's far newer.
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This kind of stuff has been faked for longer than most of us have been alive. Some fakes are VERY well done. Only way to know is find a true expert who can look it over. It may well be worth a LOT of money. Be nice if it is real, even in rough shape may be shocking what a collector will pay for it.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I've had this thing banging around the back of one gun safe or another for close to 20 years now. Got it from my father in law, he said it's old but that's all he knows about it. The overall condition is pretty rough but I'd like to know all about it. My son is heavily into old war relics and is excited to find more about it. I think it's a German Imperial Officers Sword but cannot date it. Here's some pics. He (father in law) said possibly Civil War era but I think it's far newer.
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A 2 min google search shows German officer sword. I suggest googling German lion's head sword to drill down to specifics.



Or one post on some German sword forum or German collectors forum will probably result in a detailed answer I would guess.

I found out the initials on my pre wwI Sauer SxS are from a famous gunmaker adamy who worked as an apprentice there at that time. He and his brother started their own company and built some of the best guns in the world for dignitaries, royalty, and notably Ernest Hemingway. Learned all that from one post. There are some super experts out there on most any collectible item.

 

[kmk1012]

A 2 min google search shows German officer sword. I suggest googling German lion's head sword to drill down to specifics.

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Or one post on some German sword forum or German collectors forum will probably result in a detailed answer I would guess.

I found out the initials on my pre wwI Sauer SxS are from a famous gunmaker adamy who worked as an apprentice there at that time. He and his brother started their own company and built some of the best guns in the world for dignitaries, royalty, and notably Ernest Hemingway. Learned all that from one post. There are some super experts out there on most any collectible item.

Yes, my 2 minute google search concluded the same info and that's how I ended up here . I'll dig around some other forums tomorrow and see what I can come up with. My 12 year old son is super excited about it, he's a huge WWII buff and knows more about the planes than most museum guides. Should see the conversations he can carry on about them. Will report if anything new comes up.

 

[Stomper]

Those crossed canons may indicate an artillery branch officer…..

 

[Alexx1401]

Yes, my 2 minute google search concluded the same info and that's how I ended up here . I'll dig around some other forums tomorrow and see what I can come up with. My 12 year old son is super excited about it, he's a huge WWII buff and knows more about the planes than most museum guides. Should see the conversations he can carry on about them. Will report if anything new comes up.

I would look around locally for a pro you could have look it over. Even if they want a few bucks to do so. You could well be sitting on something worth a LOT of money. Even some of the old fakes were so well made back in the day that they are worth a surprising amount because they were so well done. Be interesting to hear what a pro tells you.

 

[DunRanull]

Yup, German, ww1 (the lack of swastikas is a give-away there). What etching however faint, is on the blade?