OLD ANTIQUE GERMAN THEATER SWORD WITH SOUTH INDIAN HILT KAUFMANN THEATERKUNST
$ 435.6$ 261.36
Availability: 23 in stock
Condition:Please refer to item description for condition
Description
Size Guide
Description
Early German theater sword with South Indian hilt. This is a very interesting sword. The blade is stamped Theaterkunst H. J. Kaufmann Berlin N. 54 Schwedterstr. 9 and Made In Germany. Theaterkunst was founded by Hermann J. Kaufmann in 1907 and he owned it until he sold it in 1936. Theaterkunst was a costume house for theater, opera, cabaret and outfitted the large Berlin theaters. It also supported the emerging cinema in the 1920’s and 1930’s and provided costumes to some notable early films like Metropolis, The Blue Angel, Anna Boleyn and the famous American film in 1925 Ben Hur. In these early days of theater and cinema actual antique swords, spears and other items were utilized versus creating them. This sword seems such a piece. The handle is a South Indian tulwar handle. You have the brass pommel cap with down curved pommel spike and the knucklebow ends in a snake head. It has been wrapped in leather and fastened with 6 brass buttons for theater use. Hard to know if the blade is also a South Indian blade that was reshaped with rounded tip suitable for theater. The scabbard has brass or bronze mounts with raised floral designs. The chape of the sword with ball finial with spiral design. Feels like an antique sword scabbard from actual military use that was repurposed for film and theater. This sword was quite likely exported to the US for some film or play and this is why the “Made in Germany” marking was applied. It would be fun to research which movie or play this sword appeared in but given Kaufmann’s time of owning the Theaterkunst it would have been between 1907 and 1936. A 19th century sword with early 20th century modifications for film and theater use. Please email with any questions. Please view my other auctions for a great variety of swords, daggers and tribal art.