XL.german hunting sword , old blade with wheel and gallows

francantolin · 22nd September 2025, 07:32 PM

Magnificent long and rare dagger!
The blade is interesting, almost in the shape of a yatagan.( close to ottoman influences...)
What are the dimensions, please?
I think the blade thickness must be that of a classic hunting dagger, with a good thickness towards the heel?
The inscriptions, in my opinion, are more like the monogram of a nobleman-aristocrat, certainly master of his lands, but not that of a judge or an authority like the symbol of the Wheel of Justice, for example.
One last word regarding ́’my’́ long dagger. I simply wanted to reiterate that the blade, not only long but also very flat, has nothing to do with the usual hunting dagger blades with a very wide edge towards the heel, or a shortened felddegen blade with a thicker blade in the center. It is more like a Venetian storta-type sword blade with a wide, flat, flexible blade.

Jim McDougall · 23rd September 2025, 01:49 AM

This thing far exceeds a dagger, its heavy and huge, definitely a horsemans weapon in form.

The markings on the blade are of course the cypher of CARL THEODORE IV , Prince Elector of the Palatine from 1742; who became Prince Elector of Bavaria in 1777.
These were ecclesiastic titles of the Holy Roman Empire of the rulers who governed various principalities and provinces.

In this case in the example I posted with this cypher, I wanted to illustrate that this form of hirshfanger is similar to examples from the previous century, and seems to follow in the traditions of these swords associated with the authority of these powerful political figures.

The 'oriental' character of my example with the yataghan type blade is from the popular affinity for Ottoman and related fashions and weaponry as favored by the notorious 'pandour' forces of Austro-Hungary in the mid 18th. c.

22nd September 2025, 07:32 PM	#1
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 935	Magnificent long and rare dagger! The blade is interesting, almost in the shape of a yatagan.( close to ottoman influences...) What are the dimensions, please? I think the blade thickness must be that of a classic hunting dagger, with a good thickness towards the heel? The inscriptions, in my opinion, are more like the monogram of a nobleman-aristocrat, certainly master of his lands, but not that of a judge or an authority like the symbol of the Wheel of Justice, for example. One last word regarding ́’my’́ long dagger. I simply wanted to reiterate that the blade, not only long but also very flat, has nothing to do with the usual hunting dagger blades with a very wide edge towards the heel, or a shortened felddegen blade with a thicker blade in the center. It is more like a Venetian storta-type sword blade with a wide, flat, flexible blade.

23rd September 2025, 01:49 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,680	This thing far exceeds a dagger, its heavy and huge, definitely a horsemans weapon in form. The markings on the blade are of course the cypher of CARL THEODORE IV , Prince Elector of the Palatine from 1742; who became Prince Elector of Bavaria in 1777. These were ecclesiastic titles of the Holy Roman Empire of the rulers who governed various principalities and provinces. In this case in the example I posted with this cypher, I wanted to illustrate that this form of hirshfanger is similar to examples from the previous century, and seems to follow in the traditions of these swords associated with the authority of these powerful political figures. The 'oriental' character of my example with the yataghan type blade is from the popular affinity for Ottoman and related fashions and weaponry as favored by the notorious 'pandour' forces of Austro-Hungary in the mid 18th. c.