Description
Personalized M-89 Garde Jäger Infantry Degen w/o Scabbard. M. Neumann, Hoflieferant (purveyor to the royal court) on blade spine TM/retailer’s mark. Gilted brass hilt fittings show surface wear to the plain pommel and knuckle-bow, with portions of gilting remaining in the recesses of the Imperial eagle on the non-folding handguard. The obverse pommel is personalized with the jeweler engraved personalization, “G. J. B.” above “v. Boddien” (v. Boddien). Black rayskin covered grip shows light age, but no rips or tears and is complete with a silver Garde star and infantry horn emblem pinned to the obverse grip and complete with tight, triple twisted, silver wire wrap. Hilt is complete with leather finger loop showing wear and age cracks, but no rips to leather. Straight, plated, plain, double-fullered blade measuring 31 3/8″ in length grades Exc/Exc+, showing surface wear with gray spotting/lifting to plating and several nicks to cutting edge. Blade is complete with brown leather blade buffer pad. A review of Ranklists of the Royal Prussian Army indicates that Herr von Boddien entered the German Army in 1873/74 as he appears as a 2nd Lieutenant in 3.Garde=Regiment zu Fuss in the 1875 Ranklist, the earliest list in the JRB&M reference library. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in 1886 and continued to serve in the 3.Garde=Regiment zu Fuss until his promotion to Captain in 1891, at which time he was reassigned to the Garde Jäger Battalion where he served until his promotion to Major in 1897 and reassigned to the 3.Garde=Regiment zu Fuss. In 1903 Major von Boddien was reassigned to the Garde Jäger Battalion as Battalion Commander. He apparently retired from this position as he does not appear in the 1904 Ranklist. Copies of this research are included with the sword. EX+
