I suspect that some of the difficulty in finding images of surviving originals is that many are in the type of condition shown below.

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From the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum

A few links to an auction site:

http://www.veilingopbrengsten.nl/Webalbum/tho..._frame.htm
http://www.veilingopbrengsten.nl/Webalbum/tho..._frame.htm

Danny

Nathan:
My Messer was made by Jan Chodkiewicz, who has posted his work in the Makers forum (ballock dagger). He's obviously a Polish producer, lives in Gdansk.
Cheers
Mick

I have a couple more photos to share.

Hauschwert, Deutschland um 1530.

A Rare German Sword, circa 1530.
A slightly curved, single-edged blade with fullers on both sides and a double-edged point. Simple, 'S'-shaped and curved quillons. Wooden hilt plates and lunashaped pommel. Length 101 cm

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Messer photo
full

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Messer photo
hilt

And a couple more.

Schwert zu Anderthalb Hand oder 'Langes Messer', Deutschland um 1550

A German Hand-and-a-Half Sword or 'Long Knife', circa 1550.
Slightly curved single-edged blade and double shallow grooves on either side. Twisted and straigt iron quillons and guard ring. Wooden shaft grip. Length 108 cm.

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Messer photo
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Messer photo
hilt

Awesome, Nathan.

Nathan Robinson wrote:

I have a couple more photos to share. Hauschwert, Deutschland um 1530. A Rare German Sword, circa 1530. A slightly curved, single-edged blade with fullers on both sides and a double-edged point. Simple, 'S'-shaped and curved quillons. Wooden hilt plates and lunashaped pommel. Length 101 cm

This appears to be the same one that Danny linked to above, but it's nice to have it within the thread anyway, in case that auction disappears.

The second one you posted is interesting to me. Lutel made one very similar to that. It's interesting because it doesn't have the characteristic rivets so typical in most messers. Cool stuff!

How about a woodcut of messer-men from the Triumph of Maximilian:

http://www.myArmoury.com/albums/photo/8025.html

I've noticed that many messers have a single side ring, or downward curving bar. Why only one and, not two? It seems as if the purpose of the side ring would be to protect the hand, or help catch an opponents blade suring a defensive maneuver.
But only one side? Wouldn't two have been better?

Hi all,

Sorry to reply to this old thread, but I think I can add something.

I have done much research on German "Messers" and "Bauernwehren" and I have also written a short article about this topic (only in German). I think you have to see many weapons, which are normally seen individually, in a larger context. There is a tendency towards single edged, riveted weapons since the 14th century that reaches its peak from the second half of the 15th to the early 16th century. The ancesters of all these riveted weapons seems to have been the riveted knives that come up in the 10th/11th century, but become popular in the 13th/14th century. From these knives, a certain kind of defensive weapon developed - the so-called "Bauernwehr". This weapon is hard to define; you have to get a lot of training to recognize them. Characteristics are a single edged blade, a total length above ~25 cms and a riveted tang. Those Bauernwehren could reach lengths up to 90 cms and more. From these weapons, a variety of other weapons spread across Europe - all having single edged blades, a riveted tang and being asymmetrical. The "Lange Messer" must be seen in this context. What distinguishes the Messer from the Bauernwehr is the fact that a Bauernwehr NEVER has a crossguard. They have constructions called "Knebel" oder "Nagel" in German, but no crossguard. In contrast, a "Messer" ALWAYS has some kind of crossguard.

Therefore this pictures shows no Messer, but a large weapon in the tradition of the "Bauernwehr":

[ Linked Image ]

Maybe I will translate my article and present it to you, if you are interested. Unfortunately, I can't name many (literary) sources, as most of it is based on many years of experience and looking at hundreds of originals. Literature doesn't deal with this particular devolpment much, and the Bauernwehren are almost never discussed.

Best regards,
Peter

Another example from Hermann Historica.

Interesting how straight the blade is. I'd like to know of its geometry.

circa 1520. A straight, single-edged blade with a smith mark stamped twice on one side. Straight quillons with oval cross-section. Shell-shaped guard plate. Grooved grip with leather cover. Length 102 cm.
Rare edged weapon of the early Landsknecht period.

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Copyright Hermann Historica

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Copyright Hermann Historica

:) Some kind of game card from around year 1500 with messer's on it.
Hope it fit's in here! :cool:

Link to more info about the card and not the messer's on it

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There's a double-clipped messer at upper left here. The painting is Austrian or German, ca. 1500.

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Here's one of my own:
http://foto.arcor-online.net/palb/alben/65/12...653136.jpg