Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very attractive early German NCO Dove Head sword by the renowned Solingen firm of Weyersberg Kirschbaum & Cie., complete with its nickel fitted black leather scabbard and an NCO style Troddel wrapped around the guard. The sword has several particularly appealing early features, including a solid nickel alloy hilt, broad 30 1/8” nickel plated blade, leather scabbard, and the desirable double King's Head and Knight's Helmet W K & C trademark. Together these features give the sword a distinctly earlier character than the later Third Reich period NCO swords more commonly encountered.

The Dove Head NCO sword was a comparatively restrained military dress pattern, lacking the elaborate relief decoration generally associated with officer swords. This example has the familiar “P” shaped guard, simple crossguard, and plain rain guards, or chappes. The hilt is constructed from solid nickel alloy and has developed an attractive oxidized patina with age.

The grip is black celluloid over a wooden core and still retains a pleasing glossy appearance. There are no cracks visible, although the celluloid has worn through in several areas on the left side. The grip originally appears to have been wrapped with multiple pairs of twisted wire. The larger central pair remains present, while the upper two grooves still retain portions of one of the smaller twisted strands.

The original leather blade buffer remains present above the guard. The hilt currently has a small amount of movement on the blade and is not completely tight.

Wrapped around the guard is an NCO style Troddel sword knot. It has a green strap woven with six rows of silver bullion. The stem of the knot is green and bullion, while the top is predominantly green and the sides are completely bullion. The insert at the bottom matches the green and bullion construction of the strap. The knot displays very well with the sword, although we cannot confirm when it was first paired with this particular example.

The broad blade measures 30 1/8” and remains in very good condition overall, retaining more than 90% of its original nickel plating. The blade is noticeably wider than those typically encountered on later NCO swords, another feature consistent with the earlier construction of this example.

There are scattered areas of plating flaking and wear where the exposed steel has developed oxidation. The final approximately 2 inches of the blade show evidence of older oxidation and damage. This area was crudely cleaned and slightly reshaped with a file or grinder at some point in the past. The alteration is readily visible but does not overwhelm the otherwise strong condition of the blade.

Hidden beneath the langet, the ricasso bears the distinctive double trademark consisting of the “Knight's Helmet” (Ritter-helm) alongside the “King's Head” (Königskopf) above:

(King's Head) (Knight's Helmet)
W K & C

This identifies manufacture by Weyersberg Kirschbaum & Cie. of Solingen. The company was formed in 1883 through the merger of the long established Weyersberg and Kirschbaum firms. Each brought its own traditional trademark to the new company, the King's Head and Knight's Head respectively, and the combined devices became a particularly recognizable early W.K.&C. maker mark. The presence of this double trademark is especially appealing on a sword of this early configuration. This particular trademark was used on privately purchased blades and walking out bayonets from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and is absolutely correct for this sword. It was in use until approximately 1930, when the company declared insolvency to reorganize as as W.K.C. Waffenfabrik GmbH. For more information please see J. Anthony Carter’s work GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS. 

Solingen had been internationally renowned for centuries for its blade making industry and became known as the Klingenstadt, or “City of Blades.” Weyersberg Kirschbaum & Cie. became one of the city's most important military edged weapons manufacturers, producing swords, bayonets, and other blades for German and foreign customers.

The accompanying scabbard is of black finished leather with nickel fittings, a configuration commonly associated with earlier German military swords. The leather remains in very good overall condition and shows honest wear to the black exterior finish.

The nickel fittings display denting, oxidation, and age related wear, particularly at the drag. There also appear to have possibly been some older repairs to the drag. The upper locket fitting is currently detached from the leather because the original metal retaining wire has pulled free. The hanger loop remains present.

For the collector of early German military swords or Solingen edged weapons, this is a particularly appealing transitional example. The solid nickel Dove Head hilt, broad 30 1/8” blade, desirable double King's Head and Knight's Helmet W K & C trademark, early style leather scabbard, surviving leather blade buffer, and accompanying NCO style Troddel give the sword excellent period character. The grip wear, incomplete wire wrap, blade tip alteration, loose hilt, and detached scabbard locket are fully disclosed, while the strong surviving nickel finish and early construction make it an impressive addition to a German NCO sword, Imperial and Weimar era edged weapons, or WKC collection.

Dimensions:
Blade length: 30 1/8”
Overall length: 35 1/4”
Handguard: 4 1/2”L x 5 1/2”W
Scabbard length: 30 1/4"