Green-coated Austrian Dragoon in 1866 with the M1861 Cavalry Saber hanging below his sword hand on its wrist strap.
Seeing the rise of the previous Sword Lore posts among the favorites in this blog, I thought I'd take some time to do another. This time, we look at Austria's combat sword during the era of Konnigratz and at the end of the Risorgemento: the M1861 Cavalry Saber. As with the Prussian 1852 cavalry saber, I'll be discussing a service sword in my possession. As usual, in this post you may clix pix for BIG PIX...
A BIT OF CONTEXT AND BACKROUND
The Austrian army from the Hungarian Revolt through the Seven Weeks War and after, from 1848 to 1866+, was engaged in much conflict and went through transitions (like many others armies). Much of this is beyond the scope of this post. Sticking to the topic of cavalry weapons, though, not only was the Austrian cavalry arm undergoing force structure and unit transitions, but it was working through an unusual number of weapon patterns. Specifically, it went through five different models in 20 years: the 1845, 1850, 1858, 1861, and 1869 pattern cavalry sabers. Getting back to the point of this post, we'll first take a look at the M1858 model, which was the immediate predecessor to the M1861.
M1858 Cavalry Saber
M1858 Hilt and Guard
(images from: Ortner, With Drawn Sword: Austro Hungarian Edged Weapons from 1848 to 1918, photographed from text in the author's collection).
The M1858 was found unsuitable for various reasons (balance, materials, and a few other points), bringing on the redesign leading to the M1861. It is still instructive to take a look at the 1858 not only for comparison but also because it exhibits unique Austrian characteristics that persisted through the era. Looking at the hilt, you see there are two slits at the front of the guard above the spine of the blade (under the quillon). These are for the wrist strap. Nearly all cavalry sabers have a form of these, but they are almost universally located at the back of the hand guard under the pommel for other nations. As far as the hand guard itself, it is a symmetrical half basket with symmetrical circular perforations, another signature "Austrian" point. So, if you ever find yourself looking at a sword with these two features, you know that you are looking at an Austrian (or Austrian patterned) saber. Take note of the forward position of the "ear" (the bit that comes down from the backstrap on the handle): the presence and position of this is another Austrian signature. While we're at it, note the flexible scabbard ring (we'll return to this when discussing the M1861).
THE M1861 CAVALRY SABER
Museum quality examples of the M1861 Cavalry Saber (Trooper's version, left, and Officer's, right). They are set against a background of the post-1866 sky blue dragoon tunic (in 1867, the Austrian cavalry abandoned the white jacket for sky blue): another transition during this time. Image also from the Ortner book in the author's collection.
The M1861 Cavalry Saber was issued to the Cuirassiers, Hussars, Dragoons, and Uhlans. Interestingly, there was a "heavy" and a "light" version, but these were not distributed to "heavy" and "light" regiments, respectively (distinctions that still were in existence when the saber was adopted). Instead, every regiment received both heavy and light M1861 sabers, with the internal distribution varying by unit (somehow very Austrian). Previous to the M1861, there were different patterns for different types of cavalry; the Uhlans (for instance) had their own pattern. So although the M1861 was issued to all units, it was not quite yet a "universal" cavalry saber given that there was a light and a heavy version. And now, on to examining the actual sword in my collection:
THE SWORD
(SERVICE VERSION)
M1861 sword and Scabbard. The overall length of the sword, from pommel to blade tip, is roughly 42 inches. This sword is a service/trooper's version, meaning that it was produced to Austrian Army specifications, inspected and purchased by the state, and issued to troopers: in other words, it is a "combat" sword.
The blade is quite long: 37 inches. There are few blades in this era that are longer (short of cuirassier broadswords, and even those fall short). It is clearly, therefore, a "heavy" version of the M1861. The light version's blade is on the order of 33 or 34 inches (for more, see Matt Easton's Youtube video; in it, he is most probably talking about an M1861 light version saber given its length, but refers to it as an M1858). 
Furthermore, the last quarter of the top of the blade is sharpened (referred to as a "false edge"), allowing for a backhand cut and an enhanced thrust. I will add that my sword was definitely service sharpened and still has held its edge (particularly the false edge on the top, which did not have much wear). So, I definitely need to handle it with more care than most of my other service swords. One can only imagine what a murderous implement it must have been when its edge was keen and carried into combat.
THE BLADE
Since I've already discussed the blade profile (cut vs thrust), we'll move on to other significant points.
Left: the outside, fullered, side of the blade. Right: the inside, flat, side of the blade.
The outside of the blade is conventional, with a long fuller running from the ricasso (the block at the end of the blade next to the hilt) to roughly the foible, the last quarter to third of the blade (see the end of the Prussian 1852 Saber post for a bit of trivia concerning the "foible"). Fullers are sometimes popularly referred to as "blood channels" but that is not their purpose. A fuller is a design feature that, first and foremost, is used to lighten the blade. The number, form, and placement of fullers also influences other aspects, like balance, strength, and flexibility. What sets the M1861 apart is the inside of the blade: which is flat! Not only is the absence of a fuller unique among post-medieval swords, but this asymmetrical blade cross section, with one side fullered and the other flat, is unique to Austrian sabers, starting with the M1861 (but will become an Austrian signature after this).
Ricasso: This is the block of the blade next to the hilt. On Austrian swords of this era, this is where you should find the maker/provider, the official "ordnance" marks, and a date. Those are all here: the "CC" in the upper left hand of the picture is the Austrian Ordnance stamp, meaning that this blade had been inspected and accepted into the inventory. Often, there would be a double eagle stamped on the ricasso as well. There are various "shadow" marks on this blade that might indicate the presence of this additional ordnance mark that has been rubbed away, but it is not otherwise visible. The maker's stamp is present, but is only partially recognizable: "WELZL" (as far as I can make out). My research has not turned up an associated, known maker conforming to these letters. Finally, there is a partial date stamp: "186" from which we can at least know the decade (1860).
Shoulders: The M1861 saber has the addition of blocks at the base of the blade (or the edge of the hilt) reinforcing the joint of the blade and the hilt. I must say that despite the age of this weapon, there is not a bit of movement in the handle or the blade. These would be stamped after issue by the unit with the weapon number, in this case "1835," on the outside shoulder (left image). and the the unit, in this case, "13 DR" on the inside shoulder (right image). I'll speak a bit more in depth about the unit later, but for now, I'll reveal that this unit abbreviation, "13 DR," = the 13th Dragoon Regiment.
THE HILT
We now move to examining the hilt and what we can find here. Returning to my earlier mention of the backstrap and "ear," they are illustrated above. Unlike Prussian cavalry sabers (1811 Blucher and 1852 Cavalry), we aren't going to find any markings on the Austrian hilt, but we can still examine the configuration and construction (ie, the pattern) for identifying information. The position of the ear is one "tell": it is a characteristic of Austrian swords to find these about 2/3 of the way forward as opposed to centered. The long backstrap running the length of the handle and capped over the pommel is another Austrian characteristic.
The Guard: This is the most distinctive feature of the M1861 cavalry saber, and the thing that sets it apart from Austrian swords that preceded and came after it. Having said that, it also exhibits the other Austrian features: it has the same half basket configuration as the M1858 (and M1869), and the unique double sword-strap slits at the front of the guard. It is the pattern of piercings that sets it apart. Like the fuller, there is a functional purpose for hand guard piercings, whatever their form: they lighten it. There is no doubt that these extensive piercings would certainly lighten this hand guard. Some descriptions of the M1861 sword call these piercings "decorative," and I must say that I tend to agree: Whether intentional or not, they're more than functional. Unfortunately, this pattern would be short lived and not continue beyond the M1861. So, if you're ever looking at an Austrian sword and it doesn't have these piercings, then it's not an M1861.
THE SCABBARD When present, scabbards provide additional information to help identify antique weapons--and they often tell their own stories as well.
If you are still reading this and recall that I pointed out that note should be taken of the configuration of the M1858 scabbard rings, then I congratulate you and bring us back to that point. The M1861 scabbard represents another departure from earlier designs. It has only one (lower) fixed scabbard ring. And it has a fixed bracket on the inside of the scabbard instead of an upper scabbard ring. Both of these would begin with the M1861 and be unique signatures of Austrian scabbards going forward. Scabbard Markings: Like Prussian scabbards, Austrian scabbards bear markings that tell a story, one that is often different than the sword. Parts of swords (hilts and blades) were repurposed and re-used, as were scabbards. In a depot, scabbards and swords would be reconditioned, put together, and reissued. It would not be until a sword was issued to a unit that new marks (weapon number and unit) would be stamped on the sword and scabbard (and any previous marks would be struck through). So it is not unusual for a scabbard to not "match" its sword, particularly with antique weapons. We cannot say for sure whether this scabbard and sword were put together in a depot and never issued, or if the scabbard and blade were married by a collector later on. What we do know is that the scabbard and sword are not matched, and they don't have any other (struck through) unit marks. The scabbard on its own, however, does give us a separate set of data. First of all, it fits beautifully, so it is most probably a correct M1861 patterned scabbard (and the material, iron, reinforces this finding). The markings do tell us something definitive, if you know how to interpret them. (Left Image) The throat on the outside of the scabbard has the weapon number: it's hard to make out, but my guess is "947". (Right Image) On the inside of the scabbard is the unit stamp; in this case, "3 T D". This abbreviation (3 T D) indicates the 3rd Train Division. Together, they tell us that this scabbard was last officially assigned to weapon number 947 of the 3rd Train Division (a logistics organization). Given that there are no other marks, which have been struck through, we can infer that this scabbard was only issued once. THE MATERIALS AND CONDITION
The M1861 hilt and scabbard were made of cast iron. The condition of my sword shows this. There was active rust on the both the hilt and the scabbard. Somewhere along the line, someone had painted both of them silver (probably in an attempt to prevent rust). My style of collecting is not to return artifacts to original condition, but to preserve them as is, while cleaning them up and stabilizing them. So, I spent several days with fine steel wool and CLP (Break Free) removing the active rust and getting as much of the paint off as possible. I then sealed the surfaces with Museum wax. Nevertheless, the pitting on the hilt (in particular) certainly shows that it is iron.
The blade, being steel, was in excellent condition (aside from the wear and build up at the ricasso).
THE 13th DRAGOONS
Examining the unit history associated with this sword, and the history of the Austrian cavalry during its service life, are not only interesting in their own right but add to the understanding of the artifact
Prinz Eugen Dragoons: The above is from the Imperial and Royal Dragoons Page. The 13th Dragoons were the latest iteration in the long history of the "Prince Eugen" Dragoons, an honorific title associated with a long standing dragoon regiment in the Austrian Army stretching back to the 17th Century. Over the years it had different numbers assigned, but regardless of number, a "Prinz Eugen" Dragoon Regiment had always been in the lists. In the years just prior to 1860, it was Dragoon Regiment #5. A detail of from a set of photos of Austrian Soldiers in the 1866 campaign: it is labelled a "Dragoon of the 1st (Prinz Eugen) Dragoon regiment." You can clearly see he is equipped with the M1861 cavalry saber (note the signature perforations on the guard). Why is this image of a trooper from Dragoon Regiment #1 relevant to our sword marked 13th Dragoon Regiment? To not go into too much detail, after the 1859 Campaign the Austrian cavalry was reorganized (again). All but two dragoon regiments were converted to cuirassiers, making for a total of 12 cuirassier regiments. The two remaining dragoon regiments, #5 and #6, were then renumbered Dragoon Regiments #1 and #2 (with DR1 being the former DR 5, "Prinz Eugen," hence the picture above, which is from this timeframe). The dragoons were then classified as "light cavalry" (which is why they are sometimes also referred to as Chevaux legere).
SERVICE LIFE
The M1861 Cavalry Saber would be replaced by the M1869 cavalry saber (of that same date). The M1869 blade would use the same pattern as the M1861 (light) blade, and would be issued to all cavalry, becoming a true universal sword (the first for Austria). The M1869 would revert to the previous hilt, half basket with circular piercings, but the scabbard pattern would remain essentially the same. Both would be made of steel as opposed to iron. As such, the M1869 was a reworked version of M1861, with new materials, the same blade and scabbard pattern, and the pre-M1861 guard pattern. It would serve as the standard cavalry weapon until the 1904 pattern, and could still be found up to World War One.
See the excellent Pins and Sword YouTube Video for more on the M1869.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
The thinking and connecting the dots that goes on when acquiring antique swords.
As far as authenticating an antique sword, you add up what you can find and know and see what you've got. Here is how the information on the item itself stacks up: I think it is very safe to say that it is an authentic M1861 Austrian Cavalry Sword (heavy version):
1. All the indicators on the blade, the hilt, and the scabbard, are correct for the nation and pattern. In short, they all conform to signature "Austrian" patterns.
2. Although there is no double eagle stamp, all the markings (ordnance, maker, date, weapon and unit) are present and in the correct form and location on the sword and scabbard (ie, what you would be looking for in the places they are supposed to be). It would be better if we could track down the maker, certainly, but the preponderance of information points to authenticity, regardless.
3. The materials of the artifact are unique (iron), and consistent with the material used to make the M1861 saber.
4. This is something of a "niche" sword. I do not believe that anyone makes a replica sword, so it's not likely to be "antiqued" and passed off as an original like a more generally well known French or English Napoleonic weapon might be. If someone were to have taken the pains to put together such a convincing fake, they probably would have made the unit designation something more straightforward than the 13th Dragoons, and the scabbard markings would have matched the sword (assuming that the whole point of making a fake would be for monetary gain, a matched sword and scabbard are worth more than mismatched ones). You can never be absolutely sure, but all the indicators are that this is an authentic M1861 sword and scabbard.
As far as placing an antique weapon in history, that is always tricky and involves a bit of detective work, combining history with what the artifact tells is. Often, you can't say very much beyond authenticating a weapon. But the combination of the historical record and this sword's features give us a good picture:
1. We can start by fixing the time window to from 1861 to 1869, based on the service life of the M1861 saber.
2. The date stamp on the sword is incomplete, but limits the range to between 1861 and 1869.
3. The unit stamp is the final clincher: the 13th Dragoons were designated in 1867.
4. Thus, we can place this weapon in the finite cross-section of the timespan of a) when this sword pattern was in use b) the date it is stamped and c) when it could have been issued to the 13th Dragoons. Given these three parameters, we can date this sword to between 1867 and 1869.
5. The absence of any struck-through unit markings on the sword and scabbard strongly suggest that their service life was with only one unit, the 13th Dragoons for the sword, the 3rd Train Division for the scabbard--and it is possible that they were married together in depot after being withdrawn from service and put in stores, post 1869.
BUYER BEWARE
They do make replicas of the M1861 Austrian Infantry Officer pattern sword (pictured above: this one from the Kult of Athena). And you will see original antiques of the infantry pattern on offer on ebay and other sources as well. I'm not at all suggesting that these are an issue or not worth picking up. However, it is not unusual for an uninformed seller (particularly on a platform like ebay) to list this sword as a "cavalry saber." The key difference to look for, if nothing else, is the size (width) of the guard (as a matter of fact, if you are looking at picking up a sword from this era or earlier, and in doubt, the width of the guard is generally going to be an indicator of whether it is a cavalry or infantry model). You will notice how narrow the guard is on the pictured infantry version. That is because the infantry version must be worn on foot against the leg, and the narrow guard stays out of the way. That, plus this is not a primary combat weapon like the cavalry saber, which has the larger guard for hand protection. Mounted, the wider guard is not an issue: the sword hangs lower and the rider is not walking with the sword bouncing against the leg. Having said that, the exception is stirrup guarded cavalry sabers, like the 1811 Blucher, which are narrow (bottom line be an informed buyer). You will also see the earlier and later versions of the Austrian cavalry sabers on auction sites more often than the M1861; those are fine, but the thing to look for is the piercings on the guard. If they are circular, then the sword is one of the other (earlier or later) patterns and not the M1861. CROSSED SWORDSThe focus of my collection is on actual combat swords--from eras when swords were still viable weapons used in mounted combat. As an extension of my interest in wargaming the history of blackpowder eras in particular, having the actual swords that opposed each other is very instructive (and it's just great fun to wield an authentic sword every now and then and shout, "charge!" when playing Napoleonics, for instance). In short, in order to understand history in detail, there is nothing like handling the actual weapons involved--cavalry swords in particular.
Regarding the M1861 Austrian Cavalry Sword, I have it's opposite number, the Prussian M1852 Cavalry Saber (the subject of a previous post). These were the two weapons that literally crossed during 1866 War... ...Painting by Vlacov Sochor of the clash between Prussian and Austrian Cavalry during the great cavalry engagement at Konnigratz...
...(Left detail) Austrian Cavalry wielding the M1861 Cavalry Saber
...(Right detail) Prussian Dragoons wielding the Prussian M1852 Cavalry Saber.
Like the Prussian 1852 Cavalry Saber, of which I have a private purchase/officer's version to go along with the service weapon, I also have an officer's version of the Austrian M1861:
I was going to include it in this post, but seeing how lengthy it has become, I will do a later post on that particular sword on its own at a later date. Apologies for the length of this post--and if anyone is still reading at this point, I both thank you--and congratulate you on your endurance!
