I offer for sale a stunningly good and rare Sabre "a la Mameluk" dating to around c.1830, made for the Saxe-Lauenburg German state - Jager Corps (light infantry) 9th Battalion.
The artisan who made this particular sword is almost certainly Johann Herazcek, a Danish sword cutler from Copenhagen, active and working alone between 1828-61 before he later teamed up with his son as Herazcek and Son. Johann Herazcek made swords for the Royal Danish household and his swords are of the highest quality. This sabre is no exception.
Why would a Danish sword cutler be making a military sword for a German State infantry battalion? Quite simply Denmark had control of and set the laws for German Saxe-Lauenburg from 1815 (having been given Lauenburg by Sweden), King Frederick VI of Denmark's administration taking over the ruling of Duchy from 1816. The Danish would continue to rule Lauenburg until 1864, when following the Second Schleswig War and the following Treaty of Vienna, King Christian IX of Denmark handed over Lauenburg to the victorious Prussians and Austrians. Saxe-Lauenburg was one of the principal duchies to bring about a Unified Germany in 1871.
So, on to the details of this wonderful sabre.
The styling of this sabre is very much in the appearance of an Ottoman Shamshir. The blade has a distinct curve to it, is flat-backed; single edged (to the last 13 cm from the tip) and is smooth in cross-section, not being cut with a fuller. It has a 'clipped' or 'trailing' tip and is etched on both sides of the blade. On one side it says "Lauenburgisches" in lovely Gothic script, and on the other side it says "Jager Corps". The blade measures 79cm or 31 inches in length and has a constant 1 inch of width for almost it's entire length. The overall length of the sword is 100cm. The blade is nice and tight and firm with the hilt, no movement whatsoever. The blade is almost completely unblemished, a superb survivor for a sword about 190 years old.
The hilt is made of Brass and very much in the style of a Mameluke Shamshir sabre having floral relief to the langet and having ebonized grip scales.
The leather scabbard in my belief is the original to the sword, it fits the sword perfectly and has commensurate age and wear to the sabre. The scabbard is fitted with a brass throat, mid section and chape, and the sword is suspended from two 'loose' rings. Seen on one side of the scabbard throat the rectangular makers stamp "J. Herazcek" for Johann Herazcek, as previously mentioned.
The leather to both sides of the scabbard is worn and there is a good repair to the leather just above the brass chape piece.
A very rare German duchy sabre for a Jager Corps battalion light infantryman.