Mid-19th Century Swiss Bear’s Head Officers Sword by Gebr. Weyersberg

This is a handsome and well-made sword that measures 33 1/2" overall with a 22 5/8" straight, double-edged blade with triple fullers along the foible.  The blade has a mottled gray and plum-brown patina with etched, gold-finished martial panoplies on both sides.  The obverse forte is engraved with a motto, "Treue und Ehre," with "Fürs Vaterland" on the reverse.  The maker name appears in script along a strip that runs across both faces above the ricasso: "Gebr. Weyersberg / in Solingen."  The brass hilt has a moderate yellow-ochre patina throughout, with a single branch counterguard having the Swiss cross and shield flanked by oak leaves on the clamshell.  The fluted ebony grip is intact, but does have a with-the-grain drying crack on one side.  The bear’s head pommel is indicative of the canton of Bern, and has a hidden capstan rivet at the back of the frill at its neck.  The sword is housed in the original leather and brass scabbard, with some crazing along the edges of the leather, and a mottled ochre patina on the brass chape and throat.  The chape itself has a single large dent on the reverse, but it does not affect how the sword sits in the scabbard.  Additionally, and embroidered silver bullion and red cloth Swiss military portepee is wrapped onto the guard.  This is a very handsome sword, and is in very good-fine condition overall.