Christmas Present 1914 Damascus Sword

[Swordguy]

This "maiden hair" damascus pattern sword was presented to a reserve Lieutenant by the men in his machine gun squad. It is an extremely expensive wartime gift from an unexpected source!

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[Swordguy]

Inscription part 1

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[Swordguy]

"From Machine Gun Platoon 166 to our beloved Lieutenant Reisse-- Villers-sous- Pr?ny Christmas 1914"

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[Guest Rick Research]

Because of size limits at his current status I am adding this for Ted:

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Imagine taking the sword out of its scabbard (why, it's almost like moving pictures!) ---------->

[Guest Rick Research]

Close up of most of the guys who chipped in for this extraordinary wartime Christmas present:

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[Guest Rick Research]

Here are ALL the names, and closeup of WK&C mark, hilt disassembled:

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From:

Vizefeldwebel dR M?ller

Vizefeldwebel Hoffmeister

Vizefeldwebel dR Lutz

Unteroffiziere dR:

M?hlberger

Klaussner

Acht

Gefreiten dR:

Schmidt

Hochard

Klein

Hillesheim

Weydt

Schieber

Hesse

Sch?tzen dR:

Benscheidt

Burk

Geiger

Gemein

Gross

Harke

Henss

Lorentz

Connenmacher

Schlapp

Schmidt I

Stein

Wahlbrecht

Westhauser

Wissler

Fahrer dR:

Fanderl

Hausmann

Loch

Mandler

Mayer

Trottmann

This was a PRINCELY gift, on the legendary first Christmas of WW1.

[Swordguy]

Here is more of the "maiden hair" pattern. Notice that this blade was sharpened for use in the field. The "story" will follow

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With the inverted color function, pattern shows a little better maybe:

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[Swordguy]

With the guard folded

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and his entry in Rick's 1914 Rank List

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next to bottom left corner

[Guest Rick Research]

IMAGINE what this cost middle aged enlisted personnel to come up with.

We see a lot of handicrafts, often generic items like military goods souvenir shop plaques or statues...

but this is THE most extravagent Christmas present to a junior officer from his men that I have ever seen in 40 years collecting.

Damascus swords were top line presents from one officer (or many officers, he hinted ) to another.

For a present like this, Leutnent der Reserve Reisse must have REALLY been something special...

and wouldn't it be nice to know how any of these thoughtful (if broke! ) soldiers survived the war?

Could they ever have imagined that their names would be remembered 91 years later and across the globe?

THAT was some Christmas present!

(PS still no commission checks from Epson for my tireless recommendations of their 2400 series scanners-- used for all these blade shots.)

[Gerd Becker]

I agree, this is a very special Present sword.

Beautiful!

[Guest Rick Research]

Compare this with a sword presented by the same number of contributors-- only noblemen and officers all

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2530

[JensF.]

WOW!!! What a beauty!!!

[Paul R]

I have never seen anything like it before either! That sword is definately a top shelf item! I bet that it displays beautifully!

Paul

[Stogieman]

I must say that I have never seen such a present to so young an officer from the "other ranks"... most impressive piece with a real story behind it.

[Bob Hunter]

An impressive WKC piece. WOW!

[Glenn J]

Ted reminded me of this thread.

Vizefeldwebel der Reserve Reisse of Landwehrbezirk Hanau was commissioned into 1. Kurhessisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 81 as a Leutnant der Reserve with a Patent of 16.10.06. He transfered the following year on 19.12.07 into the Hanau based Infanterie-Regiment Hessen-Homburg Nr. 166. by 1909 he was on the rolls of Landwehrbezirk Aachen and is shown in 1911 as a salesman living at Crefelderstra?e 31 in Aachen. He remained on reserve status with this regiment at least until mobilization in 1914. Herr Reisse's promotion to Oberleutnant der Reserve came on the 24.12.14 where he was shown serving in Brigade Ersatz-Bataillon Nr. 32.

The only other Reisse serving in commissioned status at this time was Hauptmann der Landwehr a.D. (Frankfurt) Reisse in Festungs-Kompanie 4 who had been promoted to that rank on 21.11.14.

Both survived the war.

Regards

Glenn

[Guest Rick Research]

Thanks Glenn! I keep telling him he needs to find this regiment's WW1 history to see how many of those who chipped in survived.

This makes a welcome break from the usual Unhappy Endings to his other swords, doesn't it?

[Chris Boonzaier]

I want an X-mas present like this tomorrow as well!!!!