The famous German Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck once stated: "The great questions of the day will not be settled by the mandates of majorities, but by blood and iron". Imperial German Army officers of WW1 carried finely made swords as a mark of rank, and as a last line of personal defense. This Imperial German Army WW1 Carl Eickhorn Officer's Dress Sword is in Very Good Condition, with several lines of scratching, discoloration, and patina at the upper right side of the blade, some light scratching at each side of the blade, some scattered scratching and patina to the guard, ferrule, and backstrap/pommel, some scattered loosening to the handle wrapping, and with some scattered age wear evident. Most interestingly, it features a gleaming 31” bright finished slightly upswept fullered blade, sports the classic brass “P” guard with langets, ferrule, and backstrap/pommel, and is stamped at the ricasso with the iconic inverted “squirrel” logo of its maker, the famous “Eickhorn / SOLINGEN”. It boasts the traditional black celluloid covered wood grip with triple brass wire wrapping, carries the original brown leather “bumper” pad at the blade/guard join, and is complete with the original Imperial German Army WW1 Officer Metal Scabbard in Very Good Condition, having lost nearly all of the “grip” from the throat, such that the sheath will slide right off the blade if the sword is held point down by the handle, and with some scattered scratching, finish abrading, spot patina, and age wear evident. Most interestingly, it retains approximately 75% of the original glossy black painted finish, exhibits the original metal hanging ring at the upper left side, and the set is a fine example of a rare, original Imperial German Army WW1 Carl Eickhorn Officer's Dress Sword.