Swedish M1848 Fascine Knife / Cutlass by A&E Holler
Unfullered leaf-shaped blade with spear point, brass hilt, brass ferrule, curved grip with swell to the pommel, the grips being wood slabs painted black and secured to the exposed tang by two rivets of steel & brass. Brass-lined hole at the pommel for a sword knot. Black leather scabbard with brass fittings at the throat and chape, the throat piece with loop for a frog strap, the chape piece with ball finial. Blade 17 1/8 inches in length, the knife 23 inches overall.
The blade is faintly stamped at the ricasso on one side with the maker’s mark ‘A & E H’ within a dotted oval, indicating the maker A & E Holler of Solingen, Germany. This became F.W. Holler in 1869. This seems a less common maker, most contracts being given to Swedish manufacturers instead.
Next to this is stamped ‘8 R 6 K No 128’, which is a Swedish unit mark. The hilt is stamped with ‘GVA’, possibly an inspection mark, while the finial of the chape piece is stamped with ‘H’ within a circle.
Introduced initially as a pioneer’s sidearm, to be used much like a machete, the M1848 fascine knife grew popular among Swedish forces and its usage spread to most infantry units and the coastal artillery. Some coastal artillery units were transferred to the Navy and brought the M1848 with them, leading some to consider it to have used as a cutlass. While it would have been usable in combat In a pinch, it was probably valued more for its handier size to carry than a full-length sword. The M1848 had a long service life, still being issued to some units into the early 20th century, while I have seen examples given to soldiers as prizes as late as 1943.
The blade is very sharp, with visible sharpening marks along the whole edge. It is bright and has probably been kept polished in the past, although its unit mark remains quite crisp. Likewise the brass fittings have only a light patina, signs of polishing to the scabbard fittings in particular. A few dents and slight movement to the hilt. Some minor scratches to the chape piece. The leather of the scabbard is good with all stitching intact, one very small cut to its edge on one side. The black paint of the grips has some rubbing from handling, exposing the wood beneath in a few spots.
