Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Carl Eickhorn Scharnhorst pattern Army officer sword from the desirable Feldherrn Serie, commonly called the Feldmarschall (Field Marshal) Series by collectors. This Pattern 1706 lion head sword retains its black celluloid grip, four strand wire wrap, green leather and bullion officer troddel, 31" nickel plated blade, black enameled steel scabbard, and 1935 to 1941 Eickhorn trademark.

Carl Eickhorn’s Feldherrn Serie, or Commander Series, consisted of nine named Army officer sword patterns inspired by notable figures in German military history. Collectors frequently refer to the group as the Field Marshal Series, although only some of the namesakes actually held that rank.

The series included the Wrangel, Scharnhorst, Freiherr vom Stein, Roon, Derfflinger, Zieten, Blücher, Prinz Eugen, and Lützow patterns. The Prinz Eugen and Lützow designs were added in 1938 and 1939 and are generally considered among the more difficult patterns to locate.

The swords were based on designs associated with Paul Casberg and included both Dove Head and Lion Head variations. Surviving design drawings indicate that development took place during the later 1930s. The earliest known Wrangel drawing is dated 1936, while drawings for the Blücher and Roon patterns are dated 1938. The drawing dates do not necessarily establish the precise order in which each pattern entered production.

This example is the Pattern 1706 - Scharnhorst sword, named after General Gerhard Johann David Waitz von Scharnhorst (12 November 1755 – 28 June 1813), who was a Prussian General and Chief Staff noted for his reforms of the army and for leadership during the Napoleonic Wars.

The pommel is formed as a highly detailed lion or leopard head with faceted red glass eyes. The brows project strongly over the eyes, giving the head a particularly expressive appearance.

Extensive hand finishing is visible across the lower jaw, whiskers, muzzle, brow, and mane. The mane flows partially down the backstrap.

Compared with some of the more ornate Eickhorn patterns, the Scharnhorst uses relatively restrained decoration across the backstrap, P guard, and ferrule. These areas carry finely executed oak leaf and acorn motifs. The crossguard also retains the characteristic rectangular side tabs associated with this pattern.

The hilt fittings are constructed from wartime aluminum and were originally finished with gilding. Much of the gilt remains, although the finish is lighter overall from age and handling.

Wear through the gilt is visible along the sides of the lion head and across portions of the crossguard. No significant corrosion or structural damage to the aluminum fittings is described.

The crossguard carries a closed-wing Heer eagle facing to the viewer’s left. The Art Deco influenced eagle retains crisp detail to the eye, breast feathering, and raised mobile swas within a wreath.

The reverse of the crossguard has a blank shield shaped panel. These panels were sometimes engraved with a monogram, but this example was never personalized.

The carved wood grip is covered in glossy black celluloid. The covering remains in good condition without visible cracks, though it shows age related surface degradation.

The grip is tightly wrapped with a four strand skein of aluminum wire, with the two center strands twisted together.

The upper surface of the crossguard is stamped:

D.R.P.

This abbreviation stands for Deutsches Reichspatent and indicates protection under a German patent. The Scharnhorst and related Feldherrn Serie designs were exclusive Eickhorn patterns.

The grip remains securely seated on the blade tang. The guard and backstrap have a small amount of movement.

A leather and bullion officer troddel is wrapped around the hilt. The leather strap is finished in Heer green and remains in very good condition with only light surface wear and no major tearing.

Two rows of silver colored bullion run along the strap. The terminal knot also remains in very good condition.

The blade measures approximately 31" and retains a high quality nickel plated finish. Most of the surface remains bright, with only small areas of wear and oxidation.

The blade spine near the guard shows localized plating bubbling and oxidation. Additional plating loss is present along part of the cutting edge, where the exposed steel has developed oxidation and roughness.

The edge has no significant nicks, though several very small dents are present. The blade has not been sharpened, as is correct for this type of dress sword.

The original leather blade washer remains in place and shows expected age.

The reverse ricasso beneath the langet bears the stamped 1935 to 1941 Carl Eickhorn trademark:

ORIGINAL
(Seated Squirrel Holding a Sword(
Eickhorn
SOLINGEN

Carl Eickhorn is a legendary maker from Solingen, the famous "City of Blades" (Klingenstadt) in Western Germany. According to J. Anthony Carter's book, GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS, this company was founded in 1865 by Carl Eickhorn, and is arguably the most famous of all Solingen makers. Not only could the family trace their history back 500 years, but they could also demonstrate involvement in the hardening and grinding industries for the same period. Truly the nobility of Solingen Edged weapon dynasties. Eickhorn edged weapons are arguably the most desirable of all makers.

The steel scabbard remains straight, with no bends or major dents that can be detected. Approximately 90% of its original black enamel finish is retained.

The surviving enamel displays scattered age related checking and crazing. Several areas have flaked away, allowing the exposed steel beneath to oxidize.

The suspension ring remains intact. The rectangular side loop used for hitching the sword to a hanger clip while indoors is also present. Both show finish loss from use.

The throat retains both dome headed retaining screws on its sides.

With its desirable Scharnhorst Pattern 1706 lion head hilt, faceted red eyes, surviving gilt finish, crisp Heer eagle, black celluloid grip, complete officer troddel, bright 31" nickel plated blade, 1935 to 1941 Eickhorn trademark, and strongly preserved black enameled scabbard, this is an impressive example from the sought after Eickhorn Feldherrn Serie. The light hilt movement, celluloid degradation, gilt wear, blade spotting, spine bubbling, edge plating loss, minor edge dents, scabbard crazing, flaking, and exposed steel oxidation are fully disclosed. It would display particularly well in a Carl Eickhorn, German Army officer, Lion Head sword, Field Marshal Series, Paul Casberg design, or advanced WWII edged weapon collection.

Specifications:
Blade Length: 31"
Blade Style: Single Edge w/ Fuller
Overall length: 36“
Guard dimensions: 5" width x 5” length
Scabbard length: 32”

The German Army (German: Heer, was the land forces component of the Wehrmacht, the German armed forces, from 1935 to 1945. The Wehrmacht also included the Kriegsmarine (Navy) and the Luftwaffe (Air Force). During World War II, a total of about 15 million soldiers served in the German Army, of whom about seven million became casualties. Separate from the army, the Waffen-SS (Armed SS) was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. Growing from three regiments to over 38 divisions during World War II, it served alongside the army but was never formally part of it.

Only 17 months after AH announced publicly the rearmament program, the Army reached its projected goal of 36 divisions. During the autumn of 1937, two more corps were formed. In 1938, four additional corps were formed with the inclusion of the five divisions of the Austrian Army after the Anschluss in March. During the period of its expansion by Adolf AH, the German Army continued to develop concepts pioneered during World War I, combining ground (Heer) and air (Luftwaffe) assets into combined arms teams. Coupled with operational and tactical methods such as encirclements and the "battle of annihilation", the German military managed quick victories in the two initial years of World War II, prompting the use of the word Blitzkrieg (literally lightning war, meaning lightning-fast war) for the techniques used.

The German Army entered the war with a majority of its infantry formations relying on the horse for transportation. The infantry remained foot soldiers throughout the war; artillery also remained primarily horse-drawn. The motorized formations received much attention in the world press in the opening years of the war, and were cited as the main reason for the success of the German invasions of Poland (September 1939), Norway and Denmark (April 1940), Belgium, France and Netherlands (May 1940), Yugoslavia (April 1941) and the early campaigns in the Soviet Union (June 1941). However their motorized and tank formations accounted for only 20% of the Heer's capacity at their peak strength.