Identification of
Selected European and Related Swords
updated February 25, 2008

Help us keep this Identification Service alive.
Visit our Shopping Site pages and buy from us direct or visit our Books for Sale pages and buy research materials from one of our affiliates. Proceeds and commissions from these sales - in part - go towards the purchase of additional reference materials and acquisition expenses. You can also order this service online from our Identification Request Page or send a check or money order with your identification request or as a token of gratitude if this site has proven to be helpful to you. If you send a check or money order, please note on the document that it is intended for the "Research Fund".
Additionally, if there is anything that you would like to see on the following pages - in a weaponry identification sense - please feel free to request such and I will try to add additional information as soon as possible.
Please note - buying an item or sending funds does not guarantee a response. Due to overwhelming response to this website, I may not answer directly; I may simply post new material on the website in hope that a published response will answer your question(s).

  • If you E-mail or snail-mail any images to me for use in identification of an item, I reserve the right to use - without further contact - those images on my website, without compensation to you (other than my efforts to assist you, however minimal the result may actually be).
  • Please do not send single e-mail image files larger than 250kb, or no larger than 500kb total for multiple images; I will not open them.
  • Do not send images in compressed file format(s) such as ZIP extension files; once again, I will not open them.
  • Send image(s) in JPG/JPEG format only.

Research materials I have available are quite substantial; however, on some items, information within those materials might be quite sparse. If you choose to snail-mail images, please make sure you have copies or your originals retained for yourself. We do not return images in any format and they become the property of Arms to Armor - The History Store without compensation to you for any use - past, present, or future.


If sending a check or money order, please mail, payable to:

The History Store
P.O. Box 160
Llano, Texas 78643

If you have a specific identification question, please see our Identification Request Page.

If you are wanting to buy antique or collectible swords, please visit our Online Store and view our Swords for Sale page.

You can also buy research materials from one of our affiliates at our Books for Sale pages.

Austria Belgium Czechoslovakia Denmark
Finland France Germany Greece
Hungary Italy Lithuania Luxembourg
Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal
Romania Russia Spain Sweden
Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom Yugoslavia

Below are the images of some selected swords used by selected European countries. Only images of the hilts of these swords will be made available; I will not display images of inspector's or maker's marks as that might encourage spurious reproduction. My intent is to help the novice collector, not to line the pockets of pseudo antique dealers. I will add to this from time to time - mainly upon request - when identification of a certain sword is requested.

The best advice I can offer to the novice collector is, "READ BOOKS."
There are a number of wonderful books available and below I have listed some of my holdings.
AGAIN, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

Follow this link to purchase posters of Scottish Swords
List of Books:

Edged Weapons of the HABSBURG MONARCHY

British Iron Age Swords And Scabbards
The Celtic Sword

LIST OF CHANGES IN BRITISH WAR MATERIAL IN RELATION TO EDGED WEAPONS, FIREARMS AND ASSOCIATED AMMUNITION AND ACCOUTREMENTS [ FOUR VOLUMES]

British Military Swords from 1800 to the Present Day

Swords and Sword Makers of England and Scotland

Scottish Arms Makers - A Biographical Dictionary of Makers of Firearms, Edged Weapons and Armour Working in Scotland from the 15th Century to 1870
Scottish swords and dirks;: An illustrated reference guide to Scottish edged weapons (Stackpole arms and armour)
Scottish Swords from the Battlefield at Culloden
Les epees portees en France: Des origines a nos jours
Les epees de la nuit: Ou les soupers de Roquemaure : roman (Collection Histoire a l'encre noire)
French swords for Virginia, 1779: The story of French swords imported for the Virginia Militia during the American Revolution and their long and distinguished service in post Revolutionary Virginia
Armes Blanches: Collections des Musees du Mans (Musee de Tesse, avril - septembre 1995)
Les Armes blanches
Armes blanches : symbolisme, inscriptions, marquages, fourbisseurs, manufactures
Armes des Ire et IIe Guerres mondiales

German Swords and Sword Makers: Edged Weapon Makers from the 14th to the 20th Centuries

The Daggers and Edged Weapons of Hitler's Germany
Edged Weapons of Hitler's Germany
Edged weapons of the Third Reich, 1933-1945
Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich, Volume I (4th Edition)
Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich Volume Three (Volume III)
Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich, Volume IV (2nd Edition)
Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich Volume Five (Volume V)
Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich Volume Six (Volume VI)
Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich Volume Seven (Volume VII)
Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich, Volume VIII
Collecting the Edged Weapons of Imperial Germany
Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich, Cross Index
Third Reich Edged Weapon Accouterments
Edged Weapon Accouterments of Germany 1800-1945
WEARING THE EDGED WEAPONS OF THE THIRD REICH- A PICTORIAL STUDY
Wearing the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich, Volume II
Wearing the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich, Volume III
Bluebook of identification of reproduction Nazi edged weapons
World War 2 German War Booty a Study in Photographs (Schiffer Military History)
Me fecit Solingen =: Solingen made me : Third Reich edged weapon production and marketing
Eickhorn edged weapons exports
Robert Klaas, Solingen-ohligs, Blanke Waffen Catalog, Ausgabe 1938 (Robert Klaas Waffen Fabrique Catalog, 1938)
ROYAL ARMS AT ROSENBORG - Two Volume set

Introduction to European Swords (V & A Museum introductions to the decorative arts)

EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN ARMS, ARMOR AND EDGED WEAPONS: AUCTION SAN FRANCISCO AUGUST 25 & 26, 1997.
The Sword and the Centuries: 500 Years of European Swords and Duels That Have Been Fought With Them
American and European swords in the historical collections of the United States National Museum (Bulletin of the United States National Museum)
European Swords (Shire Albums)
Collector's Firearms: Rare American And European Specimens; Pistols, Revolvers, Muskets, Rifles, Swords, Rapiers
European swords and daggers in the Tower of London
Catalogue of European Court Swords & Hunting Swords
New York Metropolitan Museum of Art Catalogue of European Court Swords & Hunting Swords ( 2 Volumes ) including Ellis, De Dino, Riggs, & Reubell Collections, Hunting Sword with Pistol, Sword Carriers & Belts, ETC
Edged Weapons From Zlatoust 19th Century : XIX

If you need further information, please request such on the Weapons Identification Service page.

If you are wanting to Buy Swords, please visit our Online Store and view our Swords for Sale page.
Parts of a Sword Hilt (terminology)


Austria
Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Austrian Model 1853 Artillery/Pioneer's Sword
Return to top of page.

Belgium

Return to top of page.

Czechoslovakia

Return to top of page.

Denmark
Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Danish Pattern 1837 Infantry Officer's Sword
Return to top of page.

Finland

Return to top of page.

France
Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification French Ecole de Mars (variant) "Artillery-Style" Gladius Short-Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification European Infantry Hanger circa 1800-1900 aka French Model 1816

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification French 1st Empire/Napoleonic Cavalry Officer's Saber

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification French "Garde Nationale Cheval" (Mounted National Guard) Officer's Saber

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification French Modele 1816/71 General Officer's Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification French Model 1831 Dismounted Artillery Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification French Model 1845 Infantry Officer's Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification French Model 1845/55 Infantry Officer's Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification French Model 1882 Infantry Officer's Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification French Cavalry Officer's Sword, late 1800's

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification French Model 1887 Infantry/Line Officer's Sword

Return to top of page.

Germany
Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Imperial German Artillery Officer's Saber, WWI era

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Wurttemburg Model 1889 Cavalry Officer's Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Prussian Model 1889 Cavalry Officer's Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Bavarian Model 1889 Officer's Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Prussian Model 1889 Infantry Officer's Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification German Imperial Army Officer's Sword (Heer Mannschaftsabel)

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification European "Schlager" Fencing or Practice Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification German Fencing Foil

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification German "Hunting" Sword or Hanger

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification German Imperial Army NCO Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification German Third Reich "Nazi" Dove-Head Saber
Return to top of page.

Greece

Return to top of page.

Hungary

Return to top of page.

Italy
Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Hispano-Italian Rapier

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Italian Rapier
Return to top of page.

Lithuania

Return to top of page.

Luxembourg

Return to top of page.

Netherlands
Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Dutch "Klewang" Naval Cutlass, circa WW1

Return to top of page.

Norway

Return to top of page.

Poland

Return to top of page.

Portugal

Return to top of page.

Romania

Return to top of page.

Russia & USSR Related
Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Russian Shasqua (shaska) #1

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Russian Shasqua (shaska) #2

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Russian Shasqua (shaska) #3

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Russian Shasqua (shaska) #4

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Russian Shasqua (shaska) #5

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Russian Shasqua (shaska) #6
Return to top of page.

Spain
Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Spanish Colonial American Espada Ancha

Click Here for More Images - Sword IdentificationSpanish Modelo 1818 Infantry Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Spanish Modelo 1843 Artillery/Engineer's Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Spanish Military Cadet Sword?

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Spanish Modelo 1887 Infantry Officer's Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Spanish Modelo 1895 Cavalry Sword
Return to top of page.

Sweden

Return to top of page.

Switzerland

Return to top of page.

Turkey
Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Turkish Shamshir

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Turkish Yatagan
Return to top of page.

United Kingdom
Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Scottish "Basket-Hilt" Broad Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification English Pattern 1796 Short Saber

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification British Pattern 1827 Volunteer Rifles Officers Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification British Pattern 1855 Land Transport Corps Short Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification English Pattern 1895 Infantry Officer's Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification English Pattern 1912 Cavalry Officer's Sword

Click Here for More Images - Sword Identification Knights of Pythias - Master-at-Arms (British Columbia)
Return to top of page.

Yugoslavia

Return to top of page.

Return to top of page.

Weapons Identification Service
Can I help identify a Sword for you?


Click Here to Make an Identification Request

Return to top of page.

Return to Identification Page
Index to Other Pages
Arms to Armor's Home Page
Arms and Armor Identification
Anthropology and Archaeology
Books
Online Shopping Site
This Page Accessed Times
©1998-2008 - C. Alan Russell - All rights reserved.