Unknown Sword - Help With Identification, Please !

[GREG E.]

The sword in the photos below came from a private (non-dealer/non-collector) source in Roanoke, Virginia earlier this week. The seller (a 74-year-old veteran's son) told me that it was a German police sword from the 1920's. I am not convinced; thus, I would like to solicit a few more opinions regarding the sword's true identity.

The scabbard is leather. Both upper and lower scabbard fittings are brass and are stapled into position on the leather scabbard. The heavy steel blade measures 23" (58 centimeters) and features a small two-letter marking on the ricasso: "GA" (or possibly "CA"). Handle is also made of solid brass.

Can anyone confirm the identity of this edged weapon? Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

[GREG E.]

Unknown Sword - Help With Identification, Please ! (02)

More pics...

[GREG E.]

Unknown Sword - Help With Identification, Please ! (03)

The only marking that I could find was this two-letter code: "GA" (or possibly "CA")

[Reichsword]

I tend to agree , police or watchman's sword, but earlier than 1920's

[Frogprince]

A post Napoleonic copy of a French infantry short sword, it's not in my areas of interest. That said, similar swords are in pre-WW II catalogs for sale from Germany as Police swords for the Latin America market circa 1930's, which as former colonies traditionally used some of the Spanish/European swords as the maker and/or pattern to be followed. With the different German Police organizations also using some short swords of different patterns (than this one) - for my own education I hope that a German Police specialist like "ORPO" (George Wheeler) sees the thread for further comment. FP

[AndyB]

Post half 19.century it was used by many Gendarmery units in various countries in Europe, with the GA and frog hook i would tend to non german country.b.r.Andy

[Frogprince]

Post half 19.century it was used by many Gendarmery units in various countries in Europe, with the GA and frog hook i would tend to non german country.b.r.Andy

On the right track. Still not in my in my areas of primary of interest. If it's a CA with that steel pommel nut holding the handle in place I think that it could be an early-mid 20th century Italian Carabinieri short sword aka - the M1834. FP

[GREG E.]

M1834 Italian Carabinieri Sword

I think you nailed it, Frogprince! A cursory internet search this morning yielded the photos below and both Italian sellers described their edged weapons as Carabinieri swords...

Thanks and sincere appreciation to all who participated in this thread!

[GREG E.]

M1834 Italian Carabinieri Sword - 02

More...

[GREG E.]

Watchman's Sword

I found these two images in John R. Angolia's book Swords of Germany 1900/1945 (pages 403 & 404). The upper scabbard fittings are slightly different from my example and both blade ricassos here are conspicuously marked with the W.K. & C. logo (instead of "CA"), but the similarity is undeniable.

I tend to agree , police or watchman's sword, but earlier than 1920's

[DTS]

They actually sell some miniatures of these on Ebay as letter openers.
Kinda nice.

DTS

[lakesidetrader]

Some guys on another forum identified this a pre-1918 Bavarian Municipal Police. Here is a similar example by WKC

Thought I would share that. Your help on this one is appreciated.

[Frogprince]

The thread starter due to its construction & markings is from the best information available a M1834 Italian Carabinieri short sword that was of later manufacture. With the German Police in the TR era only listing swords for the mounted police - that (like the TR and Weimar era German Army cavalry swords) used re-purposed Imperial era mounted artillery sabers (n/A M1856). With a pre-WW I catalog from a major German maker other than WKC showing a similar to the thread starter short sword with curved not straight blades, minus the steel pommel cap and a long narrow style frog stud listed as a 'Polizei-Säbel'. And those using the 2 carrying ring style scabbards (with varying blade lengths) listed as the 'Schutzmanns-Schleppsäbel'. With most of these copies that I recall from past experience not having the size or heft of the original French Infantry saber. FP

[AndyB]

I personally dont believe is same type, other blade and the handle is most real not brass but other shaped. Designed after sabre briquet,but the first piece was correct destined as italian.b.r.Andy