Third Reich Army Cavalry Lion Head Sword w/RARE/UNIQUE Reverse Langet by Anton Wingen

For our new JRB&M Featured Item, I have selected an extremely rare Third Reich Army sword which has been off the market since the late 1960's. The actual sword being offered is pictured on the left of page 149 of my own Volume I of Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich. At the time, this highly unusual Army sword reposed in the extensive German edged weapon collection of good friend John Schleicher of Tampa, Florida. John was well-known in Florida as a professional body builder/weight lifter/trainer and was voted "Mr. Florida" in a state-wide body building contest. He ran his own gym in Tampa and was an early ardent German edged weapon collector (see page 336 of my Volume IV). John was one of the very first collectors whom I corresponded extensively with, and he kindly provided input and photographs for my first four volumes of Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich. In the photo caption accompanying the photo of his saber on page 149 of Volume I, I wrote the following, "It is highly unusual to find a Third Reich sword having the Eagle and Swastika emblem located on the reverse langet." The fact of the matter is that it is much more than "highly unusual", as I have personally never seen another example of this rare model Army saber in the following forty-plus years. Therefore, I can practically assure all of our customers that you won't see another example of this model Army sword for sale any time soon!

Anton Wingen, Jr., standing knight in armor above Solingen TM. This sword was sold by LTC Johnson in the late 1960's and has remained in the same advanced collection for over 40 years. A photograph of this RARE sword appears on page 149 of Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich, Volume I.

Gilded brass hilt fittings show wear to highlights with much of the muted, honey-gold, fire gilding remaining in the recesses of the lion head pommel with RARE PINK glass eyes, hand-enhanced, oak leaf motif -on-stippled- background embellished backstrap, knuckle-bow and ferrule, as well as crossguard with heavily chased crossed swords and oak leaves on the obverse langet. The unique reverse langet features a RARE raised, short-open-wing eagle and swastika above a raised shield motif on a matte gold background with hand-enhanced motif.

Black celluloid-over-wood grip shows minor surface wear, but no cracks, chips or damage, and is complete with triple-twisted brass wire wrap with s few of the thin strands missing.

Plated blade measuring 32 3/8" in length grades EX++/Near MINT showing minor surface wear/runner marks and faint age speckling in the blood groove, but no gray shadowing/speckling, lifting or nicks to cutting edge and no damage to the blade tip. The blade is complete with brown leather buffer pad. The dent-free steel scabbard retains approximately 85% of the original black enamel showing surface wear/crazing to obverse/reverse with missing paint primarily to upper edge of shell below the suspension ring and to lower obverse shell and drag. As stated in the caption to the above referenced photograph, "It is highly unusual to find a Third Reich sword having the Eagle and Swastika emblem on the langet." Now, 35 years after the publication of Volume I, JRB&M can add that this is only example of this pattern sword we have ever personally seen! EX+/EX++ (26266) $2,995.

Johnson Reference Books and Militaria
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