Greetings all
Might there be a book or list published regarding the emblems/initials used by the various royal German heads of state?
Whilst looking over a dress artillery sword I noticed a small, Crown R W, device on the blade embellishments, not an arsenal proof, but part of the floral decoration. I would take that to mean Wilhelm the first, but without a roman numeral one. Did he use the numeral after he became Kaiser in 1871 or was it applied (postmortum)after his grandson took the throne in 1888?
My reason for posing this question is my difficulty in establishing issue/wear dates for edged weapons that bear no markings beyond a royal cypher on the blade or guard. I find this especially so with the unloved and under appreciated Faschinenmeser shorts swords worn by the German Infantryman up to and in some cases through WWI. These weapons were carried by nearly every foot soldier in the royal armies prior to the adoption of the M1871 rifle but I have to date been unable to find any definitive information regarding them.
Sorry for the length of the post but its early morning here and I'm drinking lots of coffee.
Larmo
Might there be a book or list published regarding the emblems/initials used by the various royal German heads of state?
Whilst looking over a dress artillery sword I noticed a small, Crown R W, device on the blade embellishments, not an arsenal proof, but part of the floral decoration. I would take that to mean Wilhelm the first, but without a roman numeral one. Did he use the numeral after he became Kaiser in 1871 or was it applied (postmortum)after his grandson took the throne in 1888?
My reason for posing this question is my difficulty in establishing issue/wear dates for edged weapons that bear no markings beyond a royal cypher on the blade or guard. I find this especially so with the unloved and under appreciated Faschinenmeser shorts swords worn by the German Infantryman up to and in some cases through WWI. These weapons were carried by nearly every foot soldier in the royal armies prior to the adoption of the M1871 rifle but I have to date been unable to find any definitive information regarding them.
Sorry for the length of the post but its early morning here and I'm drinking lots of coffee.
Larmo
