WWI German Sword and Scabbard *Weyersberg - Prussian M73

All Mannschaften (Other Ranks) of the Feldartillerie (Field Artillery) and Fußartillerie (Foot Artillery) carried a sabre with a curved, single-edged blade with a hand guard which protected the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger. The sabre was carried in a scabbard hanging from the saddle when mounted, or slung from a waist-mounted sword belt when dismounted. 

Dating issued Artillerie sabres is relatively straightforward based on the scabbard and the flat spine of the blade. For the scabbard, two rings on a steel scabbard indicates pre-1906, in 1906 the lower ring was ordered removed, then in 1910 all scabbards were to be blackened. Issued sabres are typically dated on the bottom of the flat spine with a two-digit date. 

On issued pieces, the scabbards are typically chemically blackened by being black manganese parkerized (developed in 1869)

Issued sabres are very heavy construction, particularly the blades as they are intended to be weapons and designed for combat. The spines of the blades are flat, with a long deep fuller on the polished steel blades.

The Blade on this Sabre has some wear, see photos as they form part of the description. 

Blades on issued sabres are never engraved. The scabbard on this example shows almost no wear to the black manganese parkerized finish.

The grip is rivited on the sides to large tangs at the centre which protrude off of the back-strap (the steel back of the grip). The hand guard (protecting the knuckles and hand) has a distinctive "P" curve from the top of the pommel to the end were it joins onto the crossguard which ends in a round curl, designed for catching the blades of opponents. 

The suspention ring on the Preußen M73 scabbard is fixed to the scabbard and does not move. 

All issued sabres have inspection stamps on their component parts to include a crowned initial and two digit date on the blade spine.

On this Sabre issued M73 it is dated 1915/16. 

Unfortuantely, the manufacturer's mark on the ricasso (flat part of the lower blade) blade is hidden by the langet (the D shaped piece coming down from cross guard). I can make out what looks like Weyersberg.