The article was translated from the famous antique gun forum, by Uhlan. Thank you very much for that.
While researching my latest acquisition, I noticed a complete lack of information about Swiss Army sabers on the Internet.
I found a lot of information about the famous Swiss guns, but to find something related to sabers, I had to go to the famous German Arms Forum.
There's a kind of Museum of The Swiss Cavalry, where I got the postcards from. I'm glad I found them there, but that was all I could find there.
It took me a while to figure out what I had bought. (The author writes about the purchased Swiss sword of the 1875 model, similar to this)
This for me is a major part of the fun that collecting brings me. In this kind of review, I want to share the little information that I already have. It seems to be nothing special, but it's already some kind of base. After reading it, you will already be able to recognize some models of Swiss cavalry sabers of the 19th century.
Images of postcards I put on the full screen. They are very detailed and help to visualize. Click on the image and try to enlarge it.
Here are the images that sent me on my little quest. Made by a salesman, and this was enough to determine that it was not a German cavalry saber, but a Swiss one. Note the cross on the rikasso. If there is no cross, then it is not a Swiss weapon. This applies to all swiss army weapons, whether they are ordered privately or not.
One of the reasons I say this is because, such a steel handle and ornament can be seen everywhere in the mid-19th century.
The Austrians had it, and some German states copied the Austrians and therefore such models were also there. Even the British had such handles. Since it is known that most of the blades on the continent were made in Solingen, this says absolutely nothing about its origin. However, to understand this chaos and try to find out how this fashion began, and list all the options, would be nice. So, let's stop there: all Swiss things are marked with the Swiss Cross.
Okay, we found out it was a Swiss sabre. But which model? Here the site forum about antique weapons came to the rescue. There weren't many models there, but it still helped me identify the model. Here's what I learned:
Swiss cavalry officer's sabre of the model 1867.
Swiss cavalry officer's sabre of the model 1875.
Swiss cavalry officer's sabre of the model 1874.
What did I learn? The first thing to note is that the 1867 Swiss sabre specimen has a "French style" blade. My own saber has a blade with a pipe butt, so this option immediately disappears. However, the Swiss sabre of the model of 1875, and the Swiss sabre of1894. blades with a pipe butt. I immediately let's search further among the images and articles and load in the details.
The next evening I took a closer look and it dawned on me! The second suspension on the 1894 model took me back to the 1867 model, where it was also. The only model with a suspension in the lower position was the model of the Swiss saber model of 1875. Perhaps there are differences in these blades with a pipe butt, but unfortunately there is simply not enough information to learn more. The handles are the same, the scabbard is the same, the tips look the same, the mouthpieces are the same, only the position of the saber helped me understand.
On my sabre, there are no Ordonnandz stamps, it's a private order. Ordonnandz marks are a mixture of stamps, sabre license plates, as each sabre had its place in the rack, regimental stamps, year of receipt, and even sometimes excise stamps. For most of us, these stamps look like a set of letters and need someone who can read them.
So, I have a Swiss officer's cavalry sabre of the model of 1875, a private order. The best sabre I have. It's like a Swiss watch.
The best steel structure I've ever seen, and although it's made in Solingen, all the details are Swiss. I am sure that all the parts were made under Swiss control. It's very visible. Its quality is comparable only to Swiss guns, and then to the Swedish Mauser. The German Mauser in his best times could not compare with her. The sabre is fully nickel-plated, perhaps this is a special order of the officer.
The blade of the concave tube is stiff about where the tip of the elmani feather begins. The balance point is 14 cm/5.51 inches and how it is made convinces me that it is a cavalry sabre. The light weight of the saber, 736 grams, only favors its front part. The length of the blade is 82 cm / 32.2 in, width 28 mm / 1.1 in.
Now that I've bought a Swiss sabre , I can see some of the pros and cons of it. The Swiss sabre seems very fast and looks great at cutting and fencing. This is its advantage, and here are some drawbacks: bending in the last section can adversely affect a pricking blow, and a lack of mass, I think, will do the same with a chopped blow.
I'm trying to find a way to finish my little essay. I think it is right, in light of the fact that I share the information I have, to finish with a few images of Mannschaft and Gala Degen sabers. But, before I show them, I have a few images of Swiss sabers up to steel-handle models. Let's start with them again.
Essay: The genre of philosophical, literary-critical, journalistic and fiction literature is an essay of a small volume on some l. a private question, written in a free, individually authorial manner of presentation.
Swiss Sabers 1842-52, Ordonnanz: Sabre of a Mounted Unit, Sabre of an Officer of a Mounted Unit, Sabre of an Officer of a Non-Mounted Unit.
Cavalry sabre of an officer of the model 1852, Ordonnanz.
Cavalry sabre of the private model of 1867, Ordonnanz.
Cavalry sabre of the private model of 1875, Ordonnanz.
Federal Sabers 1896 – 1902, Ordonnanz.
Swiss Sabre of the Federal Model of 1899, Ordonnanz. Officer's sabre belonging to Major Matthäus Ineichen (1864-1941), District Commander of Hitzkirch, Switzerland.
I have nothing more to add. I hope that the post will cause at least a little interest in the creations of our Swiss brothers. In my opinion, while the Swiss sabre remains underrated… I look forward to your comments.
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Swiss cavalry officer sabre of the 1875 model and how to recognize some models of Swiss cavalry sabers of the 19th century.
While researching my latest acquisition, I noticed a complete lack of information about Swiss Army sabers on the Internet.
I found a lot of information about the famous Swiss guns, but to find something related to sabers, I had to go to the famous German Arms Forum.
There's a kind of Museum of The Swiss Cavalry, where I got the postcards from. I'm glad I found them there, but that was all I could find there.
It took me a while to figure out what I had bought. (The author writes about the purchased Swiss sword of the 1875 model, similar to this)
This for me is a major part of the fun that collecting brings me. In this kind of review, I want to share the little information that I already have. It seems to be nothing special, but it's already some kind of base. After reading it, you will already be able to recognize some models of Swiss cavalry sabers of the 19th century.
Images of postcards I put on the full screen. They are very detailed and help to visualize. Click on the image and try to enlarge it.
Here are the images that sent me on my little quest. Made by a salesman, and this was enough to determine that it was not a German cavalry saber, but a Swiss one. Note the cross on the rikasso. If there is no cross, then it is not a Swiss weapon. This applies to all swiss army weapons, whether they are ordered privately or not.
One of the reasons I say this is because, such a steel handle and ornament can be seen everywhere in the mid-19th century.
The Austrians had it, and some German states copied the Austrians and therefore such models were also there. Even the British had such handles. Since it is known that most of the blades on the continent were made in Solingen, this says absolutely nothing about its origin. However, to understand this chaos and try to find out how this fashion began, and list all the options, would be nice. So, let's stop there: all Swiss things are marked with the Swiss Cross.
Okay, we found out it was a Swiss sabre. But which model? Here the site forum about antique weapons came to the rescue. There weren't many models there, but it still helped me identify the model. Here's what I learned:
Swiss cavalry officer's sabre of the model 1867.
Swiss cavalry officer's sabre of the model 1875.
Swiss cavalry officer's sabre of the model 1874.
What did I learn? The first thing to note is that the 1867 Swiss sabre specimen has a "French style" blade. My own saber has a blade with a pipe butt, so this option immediately disappears. However, the Swiss sabre of the model of 1875, and the Swiss sabre of 1894. blades with a pipe butt. I immediately let's search further among the images and articles and load in the details.
The next evening I took a closer look and it dawned on me! The second suspension on the 1894 model took me back to the 1867 model, where it was also. The only model with a suspension in the lower position was the model of the Swiss saber model of 1875. Perhaps there are differences in these blades with a pipe butt, but unfortunately there is simply not enough information to learn more. The handles are the same, the scabbard is the same, the tips look the same, the mouthpieces are the same, only the position of the saber helped me understand.
On my sabre, there are no Ordonnandz stamps, it's a private order. Ordonnandz marks are a mixture of stamps, sabre license plates, as each sabre had its place in the rack, regimental stamps, year of receipt, and even sometimes excise stamps. For most of us, these stamps look like a set of letters and need someone who can read them.
So, I have a Swiss officer's cavalry sabre of the model of 1875, a private order. The best sabre I have. It's like a Swiss watch.
The best steel structure I've ever seen, and although it's made in Solingen, all the details are Swiss. I am sure that all the parts were made under Swiss control. It's very visible. Its quality is comparable only to Swiss guns, and then to the Swedish Mauser. The German Mauser in his best times could not compare with her. The sabre is fully nickel-plated, perhaps this is a special order of the officer.
The blade of the concave tube is stiff about where the tip of the elmani feather begins. The balance point is 14 cm/5.51 inches and how it is made convinces me that it is a cavalry sabre. The light weight of the saber, 736 grams, only favors its front part. The length of the blade is 82 cm / 32.2 in, width 28 mm / 1.1 in.
Now that I've bought a Swiss sabre , I can see some of the pros and cons of it. The Swiss sabre seems very fast and looks great at cutting and fencing. This is its advantage, and here are some drawbacks: bending in the last section can adversely affect a pricking blow, and a lack of mass, I think, will do the same with a chopped blow.
I'm trying to find a way to finish my little essay. I think it is right, in light of the fact that I share the information I have, to finish with a few images of Mannschaft and Gala Degen sabers. But, before I show them, I have a few images of Swiss sabers up to steel-handle models. Let's start with them again.
Essay: The genre of philosophical, literary-critical, journalistic and fiction literature is an essay of a small volume on some l. a private question, written in a free, individually authorial manner of presentation.
Swiss Sabers 1842-52, Ordonnanz: Sabre of a Mounted Unit, Sabre of an Officer of a Mounted Unit, Sabre of an Officer of a Non-Mounted Unit.
Cavalry sabre of an officer of the model 1852, Ordonnanz.
Cavalry sabre of the private model of 1867, Ordonnanz.
Cavalry sabre of the private model of 1875, Ordonnanz.
Federal Sabers 1896 – 1902, Ordonnanz.
Swiss Sabre of the Federal Model of 1899, Ordonnanz. Officer's sabre belonging to Major Matthäus Ineichen (1864-1941), District Commander of Hitzkirch, Switzerland.
I have nothing more to add. I hope that the post will cause at least a little interest in the creations of our Swiss brothers. In my opinion, while the Swiss sabre remains underrated… I look forward to your comments.
Health, Ulan.
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