M1811 Blucher sabre - markings

[jezcott]

Hi,
Last year I acquired this nice M1811 Prussian Blucher sabre with interesting unit markings. I am aware these sabres could have a long life and pass through many hands, and I am interested if anyone in the forum has knowledge of the Prussian units involved.

There are matching marks on both sabre and scabbard which is nice. What looks like the most recent unit marking is:

R. i. M.7.27

I suspect this means Reserve Infanterie Munitions 7.27

Struck through are older marks:

E.P.D.II. 118.

Can anyone shed light on these markings?

The maker of this sabre is indicated by the S.K, quite worn, on the back of the blade, for Schnitzler&Kirchbaum of Solingen. According to Dellar and Bink, the earliest M1811 were made by Solingen makers from 1814, I am hoping this might be an early one.

On their way through Prussia, the French destroyed
Potsdam’s mills and grinding stones and so it was that Prussia turned to Solingen for
manufacture of its new sabre when that centre was freed from French control in
December 1813. Hence, the first model 1811 sabres are thought to have been
produced in Solingen by the firms of Schimmelbusch and Joest, Weyersberg and
Schnitzler & Kirschbaum, at the beginning of 1814