IMPERIAL GERMAN ARMY OFFICER LION HEAD SWORD
This is an Imperial German Army officer's sword. Known as the "lion head" style on account of the design of the pommel. A set of red stones are placed inside the eyes. They are meant to simulate rubies but they are not real. The same basic design was also employed in the swords of the Third Reich except that a swastika was added.

The grips are made of wood and covered with the skin of different animals. Double strand wire is wrapped around the grips. The hand guard is connected to the open mouth of the lion and hooks to one end of the cross guard. The front of the hand guard is wide and adorned with a series of patterns. The center of the cross guard has plates that extend downward in the direction of the blade. The front plate has crossed swords to indicate use by the infantry.

The blade is of double edge construction. Usually the manufacturer's logo is stamped on its base. This example does not have any markings. The scabbard is missing.

WE BUY Imperial German Swords, Bayonets, Daggers and related items - All types of WWI German edge weapons. Whether they are military, Civilian, para-military, political, etc. The process gets started by you sending us an Email . We will respond to your inquiry normally within 24 hours and in many cases much faster. We can tell you what you have, what it is worth and how much we can pay you. One item or an entire collection - Email Us .

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.