THE BEST TRIPLE ETCH THIRD REICH PARADE SWORD I HAVE OWNED!!

I have been lucky enough to own and sell some very nice parade swords over the many years I have been doing this, but THIS particular one is quite amazing. I’ve never seen another quite like it, so I am assuming this is a ‘one off’ order, and was made for a particular person, at some considerable expense. It’s in MINT condition throughout, so I doubt it was carried much. It has a beautiful and quite small brass dove-head hilt that is decorated with oak leaves over the crossguard. The knuckle bow and backstrap are profusely decorated with muck larger leaves, that are pointed, not rounded like oak leaves. I think these are Acanthus leaves, rather than oak leaves, similar to those on Land Customs daggers. Perfect celluloid grip with triple twisted wire wrap. The crossguard itself features a lovely closed wing Wehrmacht eagle in great detail. These is an original green leather dress portapee.
Scabbard is perfect with all original paint.
Now to the blade………
Heavily nickel plated and in STONE MINT condition. The blade is deeply etched on both sides and the spine. This sword is made by RICHARD HERDER a manufacturer not often found on parade swords. The obverse features etched panels and in the very middle is a fantastic outstretched eagle and swastika. Underneath is etched the phrase ‘Fur Erinnerung an mein Dienstzeit’. IN MEMORY OF MY SERVICE TIME. Now I remembered seeing this exact etch before, so looked in Wayne Tychets excellent book on etched K98 dress bayonets, and low and behold pictured the Richard Herder page, is this EXACT etch but on a dress bayonet blade!! So Herder were commissioned to make this sword and instead of making another etch, used the one they already had for their bayonets and adapted it a little. The beautiful blade does not end there as on the reverse side is another marvellous panel. This one features a fantastic cavalry scene with two opposing monted cavalry troops charging each other. The detail and clarity is truly amazing and every piece of uniform, sword, helmets etc is in perfect outline. A true work of art for the master etcher at the time. Bordering this scene are two smaller panels featuring crossed swords with a helmet above. It’s really difficult to describe in words how wonderful this blade is and can only really be appreciated ‘in the hand’. A great, and very rare sword.

Code: 4836