Alcoso Lion Head Sword with Portepee

Product Description: This Alcoso Lion Head Sword is beautiful, with top quality workmanship. The overall length of this one is 39 inches. The blade is 33 inches long, and is in excellent plus condition, with great original shine and only minor runner marks. The blade is marked on the ricasso with the “scales” maker emblem of Alcoso in Solingen. The original leather buffer pad is present. The lion head hilt on this sword is lovely, with brass-based metal fittings and eye-catching ruby eyes on the pommel. The metalwork retains most of the original finish. The grip is undamaged, with intact wire. The lion head pommel and German eagle and swastika emblem on the crossguard are nicely detailed. The handle retains an original Portepee, which is complete and full length. All of the aluminum wire is intact, with no fraying. The wool felt insert inside the end of the Portepee knot shows some mothing. This Alcoso Lion Head Sword is complete with its original scabbard, which retains about 95 percent of the original factory applied glossy black paint. The scabbard does have some small areas of corrosion near the hanger and along the drag, but is complete and free of dents. This sword displays very well, and remains in excellent condition.

Historical Description: The traditional sword was part of the regalia of many of the Third Reich’s military and paramilitary branches, including the Wehrmacht, Polizei, and SS. Wear of the sword was typically limited to dress occasions, and was generally reserved for officers and NCOs. Each soldier or official had to purchase his own sword. These were made by a variety of manufacturers and made available through distributors. Although the overall pattern and appearance of Third Reich swords was regulated by the government or military, there were countless options that the wearer of the sword could choose from, depending on his personal taste, and how much money he wanted to spend. Blades were available with or without etchings. Some swords bore German national symbols on the handle, such as an eagle and swastika on the cross guard or grip, or an organization emblem or swastika on the pommel. Other swords were manufactured without these emblems. Swords could be personalized with engravings or etchings identifying the owner. In wear, they were suspended from a sword hanger worn under the uniform. The wide variety of Third Reich swords, and the generally extremely high level of workmanship used in the traditional craft of sword manufacture, makes these extremely interesting to collect and to study.

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