A couple of weeks ago I found a pile of a half-dozen damaged-but-genuine Imperial swords at my favorite regional monthly flea market and selected this one due to its relatively beautiful and well-decorated blade. It’s a common pattern and in only fair condition, with the wire grip wraps broken and some strands missing. The scabbard had been coated overall with a flat black tar-like substance, more like shoe polish than paint, underneath which there were many chips and dings in the original enamel. However, the blade is beautifully stamped on one side Bergisches Feldart. Regt. No. 59 and a scene showing a section of guns in action on the other side. After a little research, I found this regiment was formed in 1899 and attached for the duration of the war to the 15th Division. In 1914 this division was in the Fourth Army on the Western Front, but by 1918 it was in the Fifth. Ironically, the only pickelhaube I own is a M.1915 marked inside to I.R. 160, a regiment in the same 1914 division!

Unfortunately there is some "lifting" of the nickel finish in the designs on both sides of the blade which shows up as dark spots.

Although it can barely be seen, underneath the langet is the back-to-back squirrel logo of the Eickhorn Company.