Help identifying a sword

R

ReverendSinatra

Joined
Sep 3, 2011
Messages
3
I help people identify military antiques from the 20th century, but I mainly work on guns, not swords. I've been trying to help someone who inherited a family weapon but I don't even know where to start.

I was hoping someone here may be able to help me out with an ID or by pointing me in the right direction. I have the following photographs and at first I thought it was British but then started to think the crown mark was French.
http://i.imgur.com/v1htg.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/NuR6f.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/vCwVL.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Nik8v.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/BsSbZ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/2LKPb.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/n5qpm.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/OXAY8.jpg
 
Looks like a Prussian Model 1872 Uhlan Saber. I'm no sword expert but it sure looks like one. Also looks to be made in 1874. If my memory isn't gone it also looks like it was assigned to the 10th Reserve Artillery,5th Company, 83rd Troop or something like that.

To tell the truth it looks like a cheap knock off so you can send it to me for evaluation:D
 
Just curious, but is there any writting on the spine??? Germany as did many countries during those years would buy and or use captured blades to make blade for there troops. It was easier to take something existing and make a few mods than to build one from the ground up. I have seen many, fighting knives, swords and bayo's that began life as one thing and then ended up yet another. I have a 98/05 made in Germany 1914, then went to Czechoslovkia then to Yugoslavia. Czech bayo's began in Czechoslovakia and ended as German reissues during WW2, etc etc. Imperial period during the late 1800's is very interesting between France, Germany, England, well all of the Euro nations. Even the small guys like Belgium and Luxemburg had blades from all over the place.
 
I have asked the owner and he supplied me with a few more photographs. I was informed that the sword is 36" long with some kind of wood in the grip and a slot (seen here http://i.imgur.com/rxq7G.jpg) on the knucklebow. The spine at first appeared to have no marking but upon further inspection he noticed a faint script writing. Seen here http://imgur.com/HQkgD, and here http://imgur.com/VnXuq . But as you can see it is difficult to tell if it is anything. He also remarked that the sheath shares several marks with the sword if that helps at all.
 
I think this is a Preussiche Ulanen-Säbel von 1873 mit Beuteklinge or Prussian Uhlan (Light Cavalry/Lancers) Sabre with Captured Blade Model 1873.

Unit mark - 10th Reserve Artillery Regiment, 5th Battery, Weapon 33.

To the left on the crossguard is a deleted unit marking - unfortunately the armourer did a good job (sometimes they didn't !) and it is quite hard to read although the second and third from the left could be R and U which would be a reserve Ulan unit.

In the first picture the Crown/W/74 is the manufacture date (1874) and the royal cypher of the Kaiser Wilhelm the First.

The small Crown/Letter markings are miltary inspection/acceptance stamps.

The presence on the blade back of what appears to be some script would make this originally a French blade, probably captured in the war of 1871.

Hope that helps

Regards

Richie
 
I agree with RB407,"The presence on the blade back of what appears to be some script would make this originally a French blade, probably captured in the war of 1871."It does appear to be French and the Germans did use a lot of blade they captured during the Franco-Prussian war of July 1870 to May 1871.

Tell the owner congrats and nice score!!!
 
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