Original Imperial German Pre-WWI Model 1889 Prussian Infantry Officer Dress Sword with Scabbard by F. Damaschke German Antique Guns Made by and marked SWALLOW

Made by and marked SWALLOW

It was nicknamed the Ruck-Zu(rü)ck (German slang for "back and forth") by Austrian troops and "Ta-Pum" by Italian troops who even wrote a song about it during World War I

and only slight evidence of past pitting

but still had the barrel cleaned regularly to avoid major fouling and oxidation

#100 for the 401st has a mission summation report which can be read at this link and reads:

Original Imperial German Pre-WWI Model 1889 Prussian Infantry Officer Dress Sword with Scabbard by F. Damaschke German Antique Guns Made by and marked SWALLOWOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice Imperial German Model 1889 Infantry Officer sword and scabbard, as used up until the end of WWI. The hilt is a gilded brass basket guard with 3 fingers. The sharkskin grip is still mostly intact, with some wear on the raised portions. This model of sword would often have a leather fore finger loop on the inside of the guard, this example still partially retains the leather, and it is in solid