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Please help me identify this antique knife set

The larger blade contains an engraving of woods including 3 deer, a bird, and boar.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on August 8, 2016 at 21:21

Are there any markings on the blades .. whatsoever .. anywhere ???

... otherwise ...

I'm inclined to state .. they're ornamental .. by design.

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Permalink Reply by Darryl Snedeker on August 8, 2016 at 21:24

With no identifiers, I would agree.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on August 9, 2016 at 14:49

Darryl--Not ornamental, more like ceremonial.What you have is a late 1800's to early 1900's German hunting sword and side knife. In the mid 1800's the Germans realised that they needed to protect their wildlife resources and formed hunting clubs with strict membership requirements and often standardised uniforms.The hunting sword was kind of like a badge of honor & status.These were often unmarked as to maker and many were etched with hunting scenes like yours. The deer foot crossguard was often used on these. If you Google "German hunting sword" you will find many similar examples.Some examples were made in Damascus steel.The more ornate, the bigger the status symbol it represented.Your photos are a little blurry and it's hard to make out a lot of the detail.These swords can sell for anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. I am no expert on these matters, so I would take it to a sword appraiser if one is near you, or take several clear detailed pics of the engraving and fittings, etc along with measurements and send them to an online sword appraiser. I, for one, would love to see some more photos, and also to learn how you acquired it and it's history if known. With more info, maybe I can tell you more .BTW, even the ball shaped attachment has significance on these hunting swords.One word of caution, as I said earlier, although this appears to me to be late 1800's, these were made well into the mid 1900's, and reproductions and counterfeits are still made today. Hence, I would consult an expert on swords.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on August 9, 2016 at 16:31

Very cool info, John.

I also was having some difficulty due the the slightly out of focus pics lacking detail when blown up. Very cool history.

!!! .. Nice work, John .. !!!

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on August 10, 2016 at 16:24

Darryl- I reread my previous post and feel I need to clarify a couple of points- Although these sword and side knifes were primarily ceremonial in nature, make no mistake these were lethal weapons. The swords were made in both single edged & double edged versions, and were often used to dispatch a wounded boar or deer (although somewhat ceremonious in the dispatching of the beast) and the side knife (so named for resting in a side slot of the sword scabbard) skinned and butchered many a game animal.Once again, a wonderful old intact piece with all of the accessories, and well worth having a qualified sword appraiser value it.- There are many nuances to old hunting swords, and although I knew immediately what it was, not well enough versed in the intricacies to determine a value, although I am almost certain that it is late 1800's and a valuable old piece.

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Permalink Reply by Darryl Snedeker on August 10, 2016 at 19:04

I live in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area of Texas. How does one go about finding a qualified appraiser ?

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on August 11, 2016 at 10:14

Darryl- You might try Jackson Armory at 3416 Rosedale Avenue, Dallas,TX- Phone # 214-363-2767. Give them a call. They do appraisals if you bring the item in and I know they have antique swords in their collection. If they can't appraise it themselves, they can probably refer you to someone who can. If that fails, I would call some of the large museums in the Dallas/Fort Worth area to see if either they can appraise it or refer you to a quality appraiser. Lastly, if all else fails, there are some large antique auction houses in the area who might assist you. Jackson Armory would be my first phone call.