Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely example of the very rare and desirable "Zieten" variation of the Feldmarschall (Field Marshal) series of German "Lion Head" officer swords. It was made by famed firm Carl Eickhorn of Solingen, the legendary "City of Blades" in western Germany. The Field Marshal series was quite popular, and had a total of nine different variations, named after famous figures in German history, many of which were high ranking military officers. 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. This piece is also a real treasure as it is not constructed from the later war aluminum, but rather is made of solid brass. It really looks magnificent, retaining much of the finely gilded finish.

The Pattern 1734 - Zieten sword is named after Hans Joachim von Zieten (14 May 1699 – 26 January 1786), a legendary Prussian Cavalry General during the 18th Century. He served in four wars and was instrumental in several victories during the reign of Frederick the Great, most particularly at Hohenfriedberg and Torgau. He is also well known for a raid into the Habsburg territories during the Second Silesian War, known as Zieten's Ride. After engaging in a reputed 74 duels, and fighting in four wars, he died in his bed at the age of 86.

The Zieten Pattern is a very difficult Field Marshall example to find. It is particularly desirable due to the flat knuckle bow as well the great Art Deco look. It is very similar to the Derrflinger Pattern except for it being a Lion’s Head as opposed to Dove’s head. It is very beautifully ornamented and is distinct to the style. This only the third example of a Zieten that we have had, and they seem to be less popular than the other styles. 

The grip is of carved wood covered in black celluloid, which is in good condition and remains shiny, though there are some repaired cracks near the bottom. The grip is tightly wrapped with a skein of three pairs of twisted brass wires, the center two being wider. The top of the cross guard is hilt is stamped D.R.P., indicating that the design is protected by a German patent. The hilt is secure on the grip, with only the ferrule exhibiting some wobble.

The blade on this sword is an excellent example. It measures 31 3/4 inches and has the highest quality nickel plating. This plating is still bright with only small spots of wear and oxidation. There is a bit of light oxidation near the grip, and also some dried grease near the tip. There is no edge damage, as we often see, making this a really fantastic example.

The reverse ricasso is stamped with the 1935-41 Eickhorn trademark: a seated squirrel holding a sword, with the word ORIGINAL above and the firm's name and location, Eickhorn / SOLINGEN below. Unfortunately the chappe/rainguard partly covers the area, so we were not able to get a complete photograph. The original leather blade buffer is in place, and in good shape.

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 scabbard of this example is in very good condition, having almost all of the original black enamel paint present, showing light wear and some age related degradation. There is some chipping down to the base material, and there is also slow bend in the scabbard, which does not interfere with sheathing the blade. The original hanger loop and rectangular loop for hitching up the sword are still present, but have lost a good amount of the finish. There is also some denting to the throat at the top of the scabbard.

This is a wonderful looking sword from the most legendary of all makers! Eickhorn Feldmarschall series swords are always in demand! If you are looking for an excellent example to hang on the wall, this one should do it!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 31 3/4"
Blade Style: Single Edge w/ Fuller
Overall length: 36 3/4“
Guard dimensions: 5" width x 5” length
Scabbard length: 32 1/2”

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.