2017 Katzbalger
2017) DECORATED MUSEUM QUALITY KATZBALGER SWORD 1520c WITH ORIGINAL GRIPS:
Introduction: The Katzbalger was the signature sword of the dreaded Landsknecht mercenaries of Germany. This is a… blood-and-guts…slash and thrust… kill or be killed… fighting sword. The fighting theory of the Katzbalger is similar to the Roman Gladius, inside fighting up close and very personal. Few genuine Katzbalgers have survived, and hardcore collectors adore them. This rare officer’s grade Katzbalger is priced to sell immediately at a significantly lower price than the European auction houses.
Discussion: The Katzbalger was designed as a pure, no-frills fighting sword with a total emphasis on combat. This utilitarian instrument of war was not made to look pretty unless owned by an officer, as in the rare example we are discussing today. The Katzbalger is a highly collectible sword that has barely withstood the ravages of time since, over the years, they were either:
- A) Melted for their steel.
- B) Re-hilted into another sword.
- C) Simply not given the care they deserve.
Katzbalgers can be one or two-handed with a unique and distinctive S-shaped guard. There are two primary theories on how this unique sword was named.
(A) It could refer to the act of carrying a sword without a scabbard to achieve a quick release. Hence, the idiom “held only by a cat’s skin” (Katze means “cat,” while Balg means fur).
(B) The word derives from “balgen,” which in German means brawling. The name refers to intense, close-quarters, brutal combat, imitating two feral cats fighting for dominance. The most widely accepted translation is “cat-gutter.”
The Landsknecht Mercenaries were founded by Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Emperor. They were exceptionally well-trained troops available for hire. For over 100 years, they were the most dreaded and feared adversaries on the European battlefield and were responsible for numerous major military victories. One chronicler is said to have remarked that “the devil himself refused to let the Landsknecht into hell because he feared them so”.
Within the ranks of the Landsknecht were the Doppelsöldner (double mercenary), who received double pay. The Doppelsöldner were shock troops allegedly designed to break up the opponent’s military formation by cutting their pike heads with huge two-handed swords from the front line. Breaking the opponent’s military formation minimizes the opponent’s effectiveness on the battlefield.
Description: Constructed with a traditional Norman hilt 3 with fishtail pommel with brass finial cap in the shape of a star, the tips of its curving quillons with dragon or sea serpent head holding a spherical brass expanding quillon tip, its short rectangular ricasso is decorated with 4 fullers, the two center fullers extending to about a third of the length of the blade, the other two the length of the ricasso, the grip of shagreen or sea ray with some losses, a wide blade very slightly tapering to a round wide tip.
Condition: Very good. As you would expect from a 500-year-plus sword, it has some pitting. Conserved/restored to museum standards.
Provenance: -From an American collection.
Comparable: See European Swords and Daggers, Duffy, 1974, Plate 17-B.
Conclusion: The original owner of this sword must have been a high-ranking Landsknecht officer to possess a sword with such superior construction. Few real Katzbalgers have survived, especially in this superb, museum-quality condition. Be warned, every week on the internet auctions, you see a Victorian reproduction Katsbalger sold for several hundred dollars. Don’t be fooled.
If this sword could talk, I would love to hear its stories. If you have ever wanted a real Katzbalger in superb condition with exceptional craftsmanship, here is your opportunity. ACT NOW!!! This one should sell very quickly, and I don’t want you to be disappointed!!!*
All my items come with the following:
–Free shipping.
–10-day review period.
–Certificate of Authenticity.
–Autographed copy of my book.
– In the event of an international shipment, we will help assign the lowest correct Customs tariff, so you pay the least.
ACT NOW!!! If not, you will probably regret it later.