Original Item: Only One Available. This is a nice example of a Dove's Head Dress sword worn by Army NCO's, with a lovely "Triple-Etched" nickel plated fire-blued steel blade. This sword design is a simplified version of the Officer's dove's head sword, without the decorative designs and engraving usually seen on the hilt. It has a larger "D" guard used on German dress swords, with a simple cross guard without any rain guards (chappes). The hilt appears to have been painted black during the period, which might be a field-applied camouflage paint.

The grip is a very nice example, with leather over a wood base, with some material loss. There are no wire wrappings, nor any sign that it originally had some, however these typically did. There is no looseness in the guard or hilt, which are still tight to the blade tang. The original red felt blade buffer is still present, however it is definitely worn and discolored from age and oxidation.

The 31 3/4 inch long triple etched blade of this example is in very good condition, and does not show any signs of use or abuse. It is unsharpened, as is correct for a dress sword, and doesn't have any major edge chips or nicks. The plating and fire-bluing is still well retained, and the etching is fully visible. The "left" side of the blade is etched with a gorgeous motif of artillery guns firing with men on horseback.

The other side has the regimental designation, in Black Letter typeface:

5. K.B. Feldart. Reg. König Alfons XIII. von Spanien

This is an abbreviation for the Kgl. Bayer. 5. Feldartillerie-Regiment König Alfons XIII. von Spanbien, or Royal Bavarian 5th Field Artillery Regiment “King Alfonso XIII of Spain”, a Bavarian Field Artillery regiment in the Imperial German Army. The regiment was raised in 1890, and fought heavily in the First World War. The steel scabbard of this example is painted black, which over the years has developed some checking and a very nice texture, but there is heavy oxidation and some denting as shown, and the throat is missing one of the two screws.

Overall an very good condition triple etched Imperial German Bavarian Field Artillery NCO's Sword, ready to hang on the wall!

Dimensions:
Blade length: 31 3/4”
Overall length: 36 3/4”
Scabbard length: 32 7/8”

At the beginning of the First World War, the regiment mobilized on August 2, 1914. The mounted detachment was detached from the regiment and from that point on was subordinated to the cavalry division . In conjunction with the 3rd Infantry Division , it initially participated in the border skirmishes and the Battle of Lorraine , fighting at Nancy - Épinal and on the Somme . After the Battle of Ypres, the regiment was engaged in trench warfare in Flanders and Artois . This was interrupted in 1915 by the spring and autumn battles of La Bassée and Arras . From August 24, 1916, the unit saw action in the Battle of the Somme and was directly subordinated to the 3rd Infantry Division on September 6, 1916. After the Battle of Arras, its command structure changed on May 12, 1917, to that of Artillery Commander No. 20 of the 30th Reserve Division . It was now engaged in trench warfare in Lorraine and, from the end of October 1917, in Upper Alsace . From mid-May to October, it was under the command of the Army Field Artillery and then, until the armistice, under the command of Artillery Commander No. 134 at the Ciney training area.