Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Heer officer sword in the desirable Blücher pattern from Carl Eickhorn’s Feldherrn Serie (Commander Series), commonly referred to by collectors as the Field Marshal series. It is complete with its original black enamel scabbard and features the distinctive Lion Head hilt with faceted red glass eyes, black celluloid grip, aluminum wire wrap, later aluminum alloy fittings, and a 31" nickel plated blade.

Named after famous figures in German history, many of which were high ranking military officers, the series has a total of nine different variations. These are usually referred to as the Feldmarschall (Field Marshal) series by collectors, even though only four of the nine actually held that rank. These included the Wrangel, Scharnhorst, Freiherr vom Stein, Roon, Derfflinger, Zieten, and Blücher patterns. The Prinz Eugen and Lützow patterns were added in 1938 and 1939, which are the rarest patterns to find.

The swords were made based on drawings by Paul Casberg, and included to "Dove's Head" and "Lion's Head" designs. These drawings in many cases are still in existence, and the earliest drawing, for the “Wrangel” pattern, is dated 1936, while the last drawings, for the “Blücher” and “Roon” patterns, are dated 1938. This means that the swords were not necessarily released in the order that they were designed, however the Wrangel is generally accepted to be the earliest type produced.

The Pattern 1710 - Blücher Sword is named after Prussian Generalfeldmarschall Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, and is one of the rarer ones seen. This example is one of only a handful we have had, and is the variation one of the more distinctive Lion Head designs in the series. Blücher earned his greatest recognition after leading his army against Napoleon I at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig in 1813 and the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Along with Paul von Hindenburg, he was the most highly decorated Prussian-German soldier in history: Blücher and Hindenburg are the only Prussian-German military officers to have been awarded the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross.

The hilt on this example is of later wartime construction, using an aluminum alloy base that was originally brass plated and then gilt. Approximately 90% of the original gold colored finish remains. Wear is concentrated on the raised surfaces and around the grip, particularly at the ferrule, where portions of the underlying brass and aluminum layers are exposed.

The Lion Head pommel has the characteristic elongated snout associated with the Blücher pattern. The lower jaw, whiskers, brow, and mane show hand enhanced detail, with the mane extending partially down the backstrap. The lion retains both faceted red glass eyes.

The backstrap is decorated with overlapping laurel leaves and includes a raised blank oval intended for a possible monogram. The knuckle bow, or “P” guard, is decorated with raised oak leaves and acorns, a motif repeated on the grip ferrule.

The crossguard carries a striking Art Deco influenced open winged eagle facing the viewer’s left. The breast feathering, wreath, and raised mobile swas show hand enhanced detail, while sprays of oak leaves appear on either side of the talons.

The top of the crossguard is stamped:

D. R. P.

indicating that the design was protected under German patent registration. The oval panel on the reverse of the guard is unmarked but could have accommodated a personalized monogram.

The grip is constructed from wood covered in black celluloid and tightly wrapped with a four strand skein of aluminum wire, with the center pair twisted. The wire remains mostly bright and undamaged, with only slight looseness. The grip itself is in very good condition with no visible cracking and shows a lightly worn matte surface from age and handling.

The hilt remains solidly attached to the tang. There is only a very slight amount of movement in the crossguard and backstrap. The original leather blade buffer is still present and remains in good condition overall, though it shows pressure related wear and deformation.

The nickel plated blade measures approximately 31" in length and remains in very good condition. The plating is largely intact with no visible flaking, though there are areas of dried grease and scattered oxidation.

The edge remains correctly unsharpened but shows several small areas of denting. There is also a slight bend near the very tip, approximately 1/2" back from the point.

The reverse ricasso, partially concealed beneath the chappe or rain guard, carries the 1935-1941 Eickhorn seated squirrel trademark logo with ORIGINAL above and:

Eickhorn
SOLINGEN

below. Because the rain guard partially obscures the marking, the full trademark cannot be photographed in a single view.

Carl Eickhorn is a legendary maker from Solingen, the famous "City of Blades" 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 the most desirable of all makers.

The original scabbard remains in very good condition and retains well over 75% of its black enamel finish. There are scattered chips and areas of finish loss from age and service use.

The enamel has a somewhat orange peel texture, which may indicate a period refinish, although this cannot be stated with certainty. The scabbard body is mostly straight but shows a slight bend toward the drag end. This does not interfere with insertion or removal of the blade.

The hanger loop and rectangular slot used for hitching up the sword remain present. The loop shows finish loss and some localized damage but remains intact.

With its Blücher pattern Lion Head hilt, red glass eyes, later aluminum alloy fittings retaining approximately 90% of their gold colored finish, D.R.P. marked guard, black celluloid grip, Eickhorn seated squirrel trademark, 31" nickel plated blade, and original black enamel scabbard, this is a particularly appealing example from Eickhorn’s Field Marshal series. The slight hilt movement, blade oxidation, small edge dents, minor tip bend, possible scabbard refinish, scabbard bend, and hanger loop damage are all fully disclosed. It would display especially well in a Carl Eickhorn sword, Heer officer edged weapon, Lion Head sword, Field Marshal series, or advanced German WWII sword collection.

Specifications:
Overall length: 36 1/4”
Blade length: 31”
Blade Style: Single Edged with Fuller
Guard dimensions: 5 1/4" width x 4 1/2” length
Scabbard Length: 33"

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.