German M1864 Faschinenmesser, Dated 1866
Curved single edged unfullered blade with spear point. Brass S-shaped hilt with forward and reverse quillons. Brass grip with mock ferrule, one side of the grip cast with diagonal grooves, the other smooth. Integral beaked pommel. No scabbard. Blade 16 7/8 inches (49.2cm) in length, the messer 21 7/8 inches (55.6cm) overall.
The hilt is stamped on one side with ‘A B 73 3 69’, possibly a unit mark and on the other side with a crown over ‘FW’ over ‘66’ indicating that it was made in 1866, as well as with a crown over U, and the numbers ‘3.’ and ‘100.’. The flat spine of the grip is stamped with ‘O.R. 91.12C.126.’, which is probably another unit mark.
The blade has been previously quite heavily cleaned with patches of patination and cleaned pitting remaining and polishing marks overall. Wear to the tip that has reduced its length, probably by about 1/8 of an inch. The edge is sharp with a number of nicks and three notches at the midsection. Some movement to the hilt. The brass grip has numerous tiny dents and what appears to be some black paint to the top of the hilt.