Description
Carl Eickhorn, stamped over-the-shoulder squirrel TM. Gilted brass hilt fittings show virtually no wear to highlights with 100% of the muted, honey-gold, fire gilting remaining on the lion head pommel with red glass eyes, oak leaf embellished backstrap, knuckle-bow and ferrule, as well as crossguard with closed wing Wehrmacht eagle on the obverse langet. Underside of quillon is stamped, “D.R.P. (Deutsches Reichspatent). Black celluloid-over-wood grip has one tiny hairline crack on the upper obverse adjacent to the pommel, but no chips and is complete with triple, twisted silver wire wrap. Plated double-etched blade measuring 29 ¼” in length grades EX++/Near MINT showing minor surface wear/runner marks with no speckling, lifting or nicks to cutting edge and is complete with brown leather blade buffer pad. Obverse blade features an etched pattern which appears in the Eickhorn Kundendienst as number “3241”, and consists of a 12 ¾” long panel with a raised floral/geometric motif on a frosted gray background flanking a central personalized inscription in raised gothic letters, “P. Daub”. The reverse blade features Eickhorn etch pattern number “3237” which consists of a 12 ½”” long panel with a raised floral/geometric/military equipment motif on frosted gray background. Spine of blade features a raised laurel leaf motif on frosted gray background running the length of the etched panels which retain 100% of the background frosting. Blade is complete with brown leather blade buffer pad. Dent-free steel scabbard retains approximately 98% of the original black enamel showing light surface crazing and some dulling. Included with the sword is documentation from the Bundesarchiv verifying that Herr Daub was born on 30 November 1894, served as Artillery Officer in WWI and in 1943 was serving as a Hauptmann d.R.with OKH. Superb Scharnhorst example with rare double-etched personalized blade that could be further researched. Ex++/Near MINT.
