WWI GERMAN CAVALRY SWORD This is a German WWI dress sword which was issued to members of the cavalry. The design consists of a shell silver handguard. Semi-solid type with two curved openings cut in place. The grip is made of a bone-like material. Fittings for the fingers are found. No wire wrapping at all. Black in color. The pommel is silver and has a circular extention. The back of the grip is metal and has a checkered pattern cut in.

The scabbard is silver in color. Metal construction. It has two suspension rings near the top. A drag is fitted to the tip as a way to protect the scabbard.

The sword was manufactured by the Clemen & Jung company from Solingen. Their logo is found at the base of the blade.

Collecting WWI Imperial Edge Weapons
Collecting German Imperial memorabilia is a field that has been growing since the days the GI's rummaged around Europe bringing back military souvenirs. As the cities were occupied, the members of the various civilian groups wore their pins and awards on their uniforms. Once the person was killed or captured, the American soldiers would often take the swords, knives and daggers from the enemy combatants and take them as war trophies. Eventually all these pieces came back to the United States where military history enthusiasts began to collect them.

In trying to determine if you should collect WWI German Imperial edge weapons there are certain factors that should be considered. Imperial swords, bayonets and knives are rooted in a deep tradition of high quality blade making which goes back to the early 1800's. Many of the companies who produced military and civilian edge weapons were based on the city of Solingen. A collector may decide what to collect based on the likes of the person. Some individuals collect all swords while others prefer bayonets.

This item is currently being reproduced. It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing items like this one. Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of the Imperial Germany items.