Imperial German Sword Identification

[Steve Flanagan]

Picked this one up this weekend, wire wrap needs touchup but its all present but loose, will do what I can without disassembly. Can anyone advise sword maker/model?

Thank you!

[Steve Flanagan]

Sword

2

[Frogprince]

As already mentioned on the other forum the maker is Clemen & Jung - Solingen. The sword itself is a Prussian Infantry officer’s sword model of 1889 (IOD 89). By the look of it’s a private purchase example, and probably a later wartime issue with a black celluloid covered grip . What I’m not as sure of from the images, is if it is gilt over brass, or another base metal? FP

[Steve Flanagan]

Sword

Thanks again FP,,,only so many reference books can you have on the shelf! It has an engraved overlapping and interlaced " E C " on the pommel, interesting sword, base metal has a copper reddish appearance.

[Tony & Kaiser]

All IOD 89 are private purchase. They are actually very easy to take apart so you can fix that wire. Try twisting the top cap off by hand first.

If its too stiff, take a piece of good quality plywood about 50mm square, and trace the shape of the top cap on it. Then use a drill to drill it out until it will just fit over the cap, then twist counterclockwise and the cap will unscrew.

Then you can fix your wire.

[phild]

All IOD 89 are private purchase.
.

Tony, I've seen a few of them (actually more than just a few) that were military inspector stamped and dated on the upper spine and that bore inspector "proofs" on the hilt parts and sheath along with the blade stamps. At least some of those were Erfurt/crown stamped on the ricasso as well.

I assumed that those may have been for issue to senior NCO's entitled to wear the sword or perhaps for issue the some officers who did not purchase there own.....temporary duty type of thing.

[Tony & Kaiser]

Absolutely Phild. Those were purchased by the Regiment for wear by Unteroffizier mit Portepee and as regimental property, were so marked.

The other possibility is that after the wartime directive that ordered that swords no longer be worn and be replaced by pistols or revolvers, the owners of private purchase swords were given the option of sending them home or placing the swords in unit armories. Sometimes these stored personal swords were unit makred.

Personally, I always lean towards the bought and issued to Unteroffizier mit Portepee as that makes them more desirable in my mind.