Germany, Heer. An Officer’s Dress Sabre

(Heer Offizierssäbel). An extremely well-preserved Heer Officer’s dress sabre, measuring 104 cm in total length when inserted into the scabbard. It features an 87 cm-long, nickel-plated, magnetic steel blade with a gentle curvature, sharpened tip, and with double-sided fullers running approximately two-thirds of the length of each side. The reverse ricasso bears a distributor mark reading “HERM. SPOHR, HANNOVER”. The blade sits securely within a multi-piece hilt with an intact blackened leather buffer pad covering the seam. The hilt consists of a gilded alloy crossguard, the obverse of which bears a raised Wehrmacht eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, while the reverse bears a plain medallion awaiting the addition of an engraving. A gilded backstrap extends from the crossguard and culminates in a detailed lion’s head pommel, with the eyes inset with two cut red glass gems. A hand guard emanates from the lion’s mouth and links with the lower end of the crossguard, while the handle grip is composed of a single piece of ribbed black celluloid, with the ribbing retaining an original bronze wire cord. Wrapped around the crossguard is a matching portepee consisting of a large stylized silver aluminum wire acorn descending from a black leather strap. It is accompanied by its original scabbard, constructed of a black-painted magnetic metal shaft. An integral band set around the shaft near the throat retains a loop for the accommodation of a hanger. Issues consistent with age and wear are evident, and include minor running marks to the blade, moderate loss of scabbard paint and the loss of the throat’s spring catch, with additional material fatigue throughout the portepee’s strap. The sabre remains in a near extremely fine condition.