Is this Austrian police sabre ?

Jim McDougall · 20th July 2011, 04:57 AM

Hi Martin,
It would seem that civil weapons such as police swords etc. might be a bit esoteric for those references which deal of course with military weapons primarily. I would imagine that an excellent resource might be "With Drawn Sword: Austro-Hungarian Edged Weapons 1848-1918" by M. Christian Ortner.
I know that some time ago I was trying to identify an unusual sword which turned out to be an Austrian 'corpse carriers' sword, which I doubt can be topped as far as esoterica, and the reference cited was this one by Ortner.
I do not have the book and it is online on the usual sales, but pretty costly.

I would say that this sabre is likely Austrian as it has the openwork parallel lines in the guard base, and the fact that it is brass rather than iron may suggest private use such as you note, but obviously just guesswork. Since it is very much like cavalry sabres and the mounted police often used cavalry sabres, perhaps so, wish we could make out the markings.

Sorry not to be more help...maybe somebody out there might have that book? or know something on Austrian weapons.

All the best,
Jim

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20th July 2011, 04:57 AM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Hi Martin, It would seem that civil weapons such as police swords etc. might be a bit esoteric for those references which deal of course with military weapons primarily. I would imagine that an excellent resource might be "With Drawn Sword: Austro-Hungarian Edged Weapons 1848-1918" by M. Christian Ortner. I know that some time ago I was trying to identify an unusual sword which turned out to be an Austrian 'corpse carriers' sword, which I doubt can be topped as far as esoterica, and the reference cited was this one by Ortner. I do not have the book and it is online on the usual sales, but pretty costly. I would say that this sabre is likely Austrian as it has the openwork parallel lines in the guard base, and the fact that it is brass rather than iron may suggest private use such as you note, but obviously just guesswork. Since it is very much like cavalry sabres and the mounted police often used cavalry sabres, perhaps so, wish we could make out the markings. Sorry not to be more help...maybe somebody out there might have that book? or know something on Austrian weapons. All the best, Jim