Original German Pre-WWI Hirschfänger Stag Handle Long Shooting Dress Cutlass by WKC with Scabbard Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. In use for centuries, the German Hirschfänger (Deer Catcher) long hunting daggers have always made lovely display pieces, as well as military sidearms. Many of the early bayonets used by the various German States were based on the Hirschfänger design, which is both simple and elegant, almost a short sword in practical terms.

The Hunting and Forestry organizations under the German monarchy were often controlled by aristocrats and well-heeled businessman. They were generally not organizations habituated by the common man. The purposes were generally formed for the conservation of game and forestry. Elaborate hunts were great occasions for the well-heeled, while the ladies used the hunting lodges for match-making and gossip. The cutlasses of these Imperial organizations were often extremely ornate, or they could also be utilitarian, made to perform the final killing thrust on game. Both types were often owned by a single individual. Many examples were used strictly for dressing up the beauty of a hunting/forestry uniform.

This is a great Imperial German Hirschfänger Stag Handled Long Shooting Cutlass, complete with scabbard. The hilt is fit with brass, with three oval bosses attached to the straight horn grip. It also has a lovely “S” shaped crossguard with the form of opposed Deer’s hooves, very commonly seen on these shooting cutlasses. There is also a scallop shell guard on one side, much like those seen on earlier “hunting sword pistols”, which in this case actually looks quite like an actual scallop.

The blade is triple etched, with hunting scenes on both sides, displaying a variety of different stands of arms, including cannons at the bottom of both sides. There are also lovely foliate designs, and the spine has a repeating leaf motif. We have seen other Long Shooting bayonets from the same era by different makers, all with identical etched designs. It has a thin red felt blade buffer at the crossguard. The blade is not plated, and does show oxidation in areas, but nothing out of the ordinary for a blade of this age. The etching is still fully visible.

The blade is marked on the ricasso under the shell guard with the double trademark “King’s Helmet” (Ritter-helm) alongside a “Kings’s Head” (königskopf) logo of legendary German maker Weyersberg Kirschbaum & Cie of Solingen, over the firms initials of W.K & C.. This trademark is used on privately purchased blades in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and is absolutely correct for this bayonet. For more information please see J. Anthony Carter’s work GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS.

The leather scabbard, like the cutlass, is fit with brass, and overall is now somewhat degraded in condition. The leather has dried out, so it has shrunken a bit, and the stitching is now loose. Also, the locket is now loose on the body, as the brass staple that held it in place is missing. Still, it makes a great match to the sword.

A lovely Imperial German Hirschfänger Long Shooting cutlass, ready to display!

Specifications:

Blade Length: 19 1/4″
Blade Style: Hirschfänger Singled Edged (blunt)
Overall length: 24 3/4“
Crossguard: 3 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 19 1/2″