In House Shipping:
The German Technische Nothilfe (better known as TENO) was organized in 1919 to protect technical infrastructure such as water works, power grids, and railroads from sabotage in the anarchy that prevailed in post-WW1 Weimar Germany. After Hitler gained power in the early 1930s, TENO’s role shifted to civil defense (air raid rescue, general disaster response, etc.), and later during the Second World War to securing vital industries once again, this time all across Occupied Europe. As with most German organizations during WW2, members of TENO were issued their own unique edged weapons. TENO enlisted men carried impressive "hewers" as a mark of rank and status. The TENO hewer was more than just ceremonial, it had a practical purpose as an ax or hacking knife with its heavy clip point bowie blade. The TENO hewer was introduced in 1938, with the entirety of production by Carl Eickhorn. With its impressive size and overt Germanic design, the TENO hewer was a highly prized war souvenir among US Army troops in the ETO. Relatively few were made, and even fewer survive today. This German WW2 Technische Nothilfe TENO EM Carl Eickhorn Hewer Knife is in Very Good Condition, with some sharpening to the blade edge, some scattered chipping to the upper blade edge, some cleaning, scratching, scabbard wear, pitting, and spot patina at each side of the blade, moderate drying and surface cracking to the leather “bumper pad” at the blade/guard join, some scattered flaking and tarnishing to the guard, tang, and pommel, a 1/4” hairline surface crack in the upper middle spine of the left handle scale, and with some scattered age wear evident. Otherwise, the knife is in fine shape, with no other damage. Most interestingly, it features a 9 3/4" bright fullered clip point bowie blade with a top false edge, sports the classic white celluloid handle scales secured by two metal screws, and is etched with the classic TENO pattern stylized spread wing eagle in inverted fashion at the obverse ricasso, flanked by “GES. GESCH.”, and above the iconic “squirrel” logo of its maker, the famous “ORIGINAL / Eickhorn / SOLINGEN”. The knife is etched with the serial number “5135” in inverted fashion at the reverse ricasso, boasts the matching TENO pattern stylized spread wing eagle molded into the right side of the silver plated guard, and exhibits a matching silver plated tang and pommel, the latter with the familiar TENO “wheel” emblem molded into the right side. It’s complete with the original German WW2 TENO EM Hewer Metal Scabbard in Very Good Condition, with some scattered finish abrading and spot patina to the body, and with some scattered scratching, spot patina, and age wear evident. Otherwise, the scabbard is in fine shape, with absolutely no dents, cracking, or other damage. Most interestingly, it retains approximately 90% of the original black painted finish on the body, carries a silver plated metal reinforced throat and end tip, the former of which is stamped with the matching serial number “5135” at the top front of the mouth, and bears the well known and correct “A” for Assmann maker’s mark on the steel belt clip hanger at the upper back. The set is a fine example of a very rare, original German WW2 Technische Nothilfe TENO EM Carl Eickhorn Hewer Knife.