Model 1855 Bavarian Infantry Officer’s Sword

Continuing from the Hessian sword I posted last weekend, Within the German Empire, swords with B-shaped guards were used by Bavaria and Baden. I believe this Bavarian example dates to the reign of the “Fairy Tale King” or “Mad King of Bavaria”, Ludwig II.

The riccasso bears the knight’s head that Kirshbaum of Solingen used until merging with Weyersburg in 1883. The spine of the sword is etched with “M. ZOLTSCH MUNICH.” Martin Zoltsch was a sword retailer in the Bavarian capitol from 1868-1937. The 31 inch blade features floral etching with a crown and monogram. I compared the monogram with royal cyphers of the monarchs of Baden, Bavaria, and even Austria and was stumped until finally I found a match in the monogram plate on the front of a Bavarian Model 1868 Raupenhelm (Bavarian military helmet), linking this sword with the reign of Ludwig II (1864-1886).

Full disclosure – there was another Ludwig. Ludwig III reigned from 1913-1918. Also, the lone knight’s head reappeared on some blades at some point after the merger (I think post-war). However, I have not found this monogram associated with Ludwig III, and the etching looks nothing like the typical WWI Bavarian swords, and it's missing their ubiquitous “In Treue Fest” motto. For those reasons I believe this is from the earlier reign