Named Prussian Infantry Officer’s Sword, First Quarter 19th C

Gilt brass hilt featuring upturned shell guards, rear quillon, and knuckle bow joining the
faceted conical-shaped pommel with large button.  Raised acanthus design on quillon,
knuckle bow, and pommel.  Wood grip with twisted silver wire wrap.  Single-edged 33 1/4"
blade with broad full-length fuller stamped with maker’s mark “N.K” on the tang and etched
with foliage, stands of arms, the royal cipher of King William Frederick III of Prussia
(intertwined F and R over W, reigned 1797-1840), and “C----Alter Major und Commandeur”
(about 3/4" between C and Alter deliberately scratched out) on one side and “Ersten
Bataillon 25ten Infanterie Regiment” on the other side.  Black leather-covered wood
scabbard with brass throat and drag, broken and separated just above the drag and leather
flaking.  Condition of sword very good with most of the gilding remaining on guard, small
dents to grip, and minor age staining on blade; scabbard poor, as noted.  Overall length 39
3/8", not including scabbard.  Similar example ca. 1800  illustrated in “Europaische Hieb-
und Stichwaffen”, fig. 442.  During the Napoleonic Wars the 25th was under von Lutzow
and at Waterloo it was in the II Corps, 5th Brigade.  The 25th dates at least as far back as
the reign of Frederick the Great and was heavily engaged throughout the Seven Years War
and nearly destroyed at the Battle of Torgau in 1760, though this sword clearly post dates
that.  Further research could determine more of this sword’s undoubtedly interesting
history.