Description
No Maker. A photograph of a similar pattern sword appears on page 87, upper of Swords of Germany 1900/1945 by John R. Angolia as Richard Herder (unattributed) pattern. This sword, features heavy, gilded cast-brass hilt fittings with minor wear to highlights and 100% of the matte, honey-gold factory finish remaining in the recesses of the lion head pommel with red glass eyes, raised, oak leaf embellished backstrap, ferrule, knuckle-bow, and crossguard with open-wing eagle with hand stippled chest and wing feathers and oak leaf sprigs on the obverse langet. The reverse crossguard features hand enhanced oak leaves on the upper langet with hand stippling to the background of the lower langet. Black celluloid grip shows faint surface wear with one tiny nick to upper edge, but no cracks or chips and is complete with superb, triple twisted wire wrap. Plated blade measuring 34 ¾” in length grades EX++/Near MINT, showing light surface wear/runner marks with a few tiny nicks to center cutting edge, but no gray speckling, lifting or pitting to plating, and no damage to blade tip. Blade is complete with dark brown leather buffer pad. Dent-free steel scabbard retains approximately 90% of the original black enamel, showing areas of crazing/oxidation and missing paint to obverse/reverse shell and drag, but no major surface damage. EX++