Description
Original EICKHORN Solingen, stamped squirrel-holding-sword TM. An illustration of this pattern sword appears in the Eickhorn Kundendienst as pattern Mannschafts Säbel Nr. 89. Plain, unadorned nickel-plated hilt fittings show minor surface wear with minor speckling to the backstrap and obverse ferrule but, no lifting or peeling to the pommel, knuckle-bow or langets. Black bakelite grip is perfect with no cracks or chips and is complete with tight triple silver wire wrap. Plated double-etched blade measuring 28″ in length grades EX++/Near MINT showing light surface wear/runner marks but, no lifting, peeling or nicks to cutting edge, and is complete with original brown leather buffer pad. The obverse and reverse blade feature 15 ¼” long etched panels comprised of floral motifs on a light gray frosted background flanking central blued panels. The obverse center panel features the raised personalization in Gothic letters, “E. Schultz, Artillerie Regiment No 33” while the reverse blue center panel, flanked by closed-wing Wehrmacht eagles, features a motif of a mounted Artillery section of horses, riders, cannoneers, caisson and mounted trumpeter. The etched panels as well as the etched laurel leaf motif on the blade spine retain 100% of the light gray and blue background frosting. Research in Das Deutsche Heer 1939 indicates that in 1939 Artillerie Regiment 33 was assigned to the 33rd Division and garrisoned at Darmstadt. The 33rd Infantry Division was reorganized as the 15th Panzer Division in the fall of 1940, sent to North Africa in the spring of 1941 as part of Rommel’s Afrika Korps, fought in all the campaigns in North Africa and was destroyed in the final collapse in North Africa in May of 1943. Dent-free, steel scabbard retains approximately 98% of the original black enamel showing minor surface scratches to the obverse/reverse shell but, no major loss of factory finish. Nice Third Reich Army Artillery NCO/EM Sword w/double-etched blade. EX++.
