Dutch Cutlass

[ruiter58]

Hello Alexander,

I own a klewang just like the one you´re having (mine has number 671) and as far as I can tell from the pictures it´s original. The Klewang I have does not have the mentioned KM mark either but I do have a letter (1986) from the director (The director in 1986 that is) of the "Koninklijke Marechausse Museum" stating that it is an original KM Klewang (Based on photo´s I´ve sent him) I do have another Klewang with a KM mark on it (This one was investigated by Mr Puype in 1983, he is co-author of the mentioned klewang book) The KM one I have (with a leather scabbard) has been issued to the Dutch Royal navy in 1935. In this case the KM stands for "Koninklijke Marine" (Royal Navy).

I will check in the Klewang book if I can find some more information on the Marechaussee Klewang. As stated earlier in another post, this type of klewang was also used by the Dutch police forces.

The Klewang is still in use today but only ceremonial. You can see the Marechausse klewang in use when the opening of the dutch parliament takes place. Every year on the third tuesday in september this is on. You can find some pictures using the search "prinsjesdag klewang". Mind you that they are probably using newly created klewangs (somewhere during the eighties, easy to recognize by their very thin layer of chrome)

[Henk]

ruiter58,

In the first place welcome to the forum.

Can you explain to me why the director of the "Koninklijke Marechausse Museum" is stating despite the missing KM-mark on your klewang that this is an original KM klewang and not a klewang no.2 police despite the statement of J.P. Puype, the conservator of the Dutch Army Museum and R.J. de Stürler-Boekwijt in their book Catalogue of the Dutch Army Museum? The same book that you're going to check to find some more information on the Marechaussee Klewang.

[Amuk Murugul]

Hullo everybody,

My twee-duit's worth:

I managed to rescue a KM from neglect. It had traces of chrome plate on the guard, scabbard etc. However, it was pretty much rusted. So, I decided to do an immediate cleaning. As the item was located in ..... wait for it ..... HAWAII (of all places), I decided on fruit juice as the cleanser. I disassembled it and cleaned. All parts were original to the piece. (see attached photo; please don't step on my toes )
I noticed that the serial no. had no 'KM' prefix. I sought a definitive answer to this, but to date, have had no reply from any Dutch authority/museum.
However, I seem to remember that the Leger Museum in Delft has KM's that are with and w/o this prefix.

Please enlighten me.

Best,

[Henk]

Gentlemen,

I dropped the question about the missing K.M. prefix and still being a klewang-marechaussee despite the explaination in their book at the Legermuseum in Delft. As soon as i receive an answer (within 10 working days) i will inform you.

[ruiter58]

Hello,

thanks for the welcome. First of all I am happy not to be alone anymore.
I have attached a scan of the first lines of the letter I received from the Marechaussee museum. It is in Dutch and states that: " In an answer to your letter I herewith inform you that the Klewang number 671 is an original KMAR klewang from before 1940" I did send him a few pictures of the Klewang. Unfortunately I am not able to make photo's of the Klewang at this moment.

I think that there is a lot of confusion because we can refer to the Marechausse klewang (M1913) as a type (regardless of it's use, either by police forces or actually by the Marechaussee) or as the Klewang used by the Marechaussee (which doesn't need to be a M1913)

I am very curious what the reply of the museum will be on Henk's question. Whatever the outcome may be, this forum shows that it is a very interesting weapon and no matter how many books we can consult, we will always be stuck with unanswered questions. Once I have a camera I will post some pictures on another klewang hoping that someone can tell me some more about the marks on that one.

best regards,
Ron de Ruiter

[Henk]

Gentlemen, below i copied the original answer from the Legermuseum in Delft from my mail. Unfortunately the banner of the Legermuseum didn't come with the message.
I will try to translate the answer in english and i hope it will be understandable for everybody here.

U stelde de volgende vraag: klewang no 2 politie versus klewang-marechaussee
Antwoord:
Beste Henk,
Hartelijk dank voor je vraag.
In de vaste presentatie worden vier Sabels Marechaussee Model 1913 en een Klewang No.2 Politie Model 1913 getoond. Getoetst aan de door Puype en De Sturler opgestelde eigenschappen zouden drie van de vier Sabels Marechaussee daaraan niet geheel voldoen: het KM-stempel ontbreekt namelijk. Maar omdat de klingen verchroomd zijn en hun snede onscherp is, worden ze toch tot het type gerekend. Het stempel kan immers bij de productie vergeten aangebracht te zijn. De poltiesabel voldoet wel aan de gestelde criteria.
De onderverdeling van klewangs is, zoals i.h.a. bij zo veel andere blanke wapens, lastig gezien de voorkomende varianten en/of afwijkingen. De catalogisering van klewang is een ordening naar 'idelale' typen en biedt de helpende hand bij het nader kunnnen duiden van een klewang. Met 100% zekerheid is dat niet altijd te zeggen. Met andere woorden: voor een bepaald type klewang komen ook exemplaren in aanmerking die strikt genomen, niet geheel aan de desbetreffende eigenschappen voldoen en soms zelfs zowel tot het ene als het andere type gerekend kunnen worden.
Met vriendelijke groet,
Jos Hilkhuijsen
conservator

You asked the next question: Klewang no 2 police against klewang-marechaussee
Answer:
Dear Henk,
Thank you very much for your question.
In the permanent presentation four Sabre Marechaussee Model 1913 and one Klewang No.2 Politie Model 1913 are shown. Standing the test to the by Puype en De Sturler drawn properties three of the four Sabre Marechaussee wouldn't completely content: that is because the KM-mark is not present. But because the blades are chrome-plated en the edge unsharp, they still are reckoned to the type. The mark could be forgotten to apply at the production. The policesabre does content to the drawn properties completely.
The subdividing of klewangs is, like in common to so many other cold steel weapons, rather difficult because of the occurring alternatives and or differences. The catalogue of klewang is an arrangement to 'ideal' types and gives a helping hand by pointing down a klewang. With 100% certainty we cann't always tell. In other words: for a defined type klewang also examples could be considered that taken strictly, don't completely content to the relevant properties and sometimes even could be reckoned to as well to the one as to the other type.
Kind regards,
Jos Hilkhuijsen
curator.

Gentlemen, to recapitulate we can say if a klewang Model 1913 is chrome-plated and the edge is not sharp it is a klewang-marechaussee despite the missing KM-mark that should be present according to Puype and De Sturler. And sometimes it is impossible to catagorize a klewang because it could be this or that type.

[Amuk Murugul]

Hullo Henk,

Thank you for your effort.
Now I know that mine is a KM, albeit zonder the 'KM' .
It has the characteristic unsharpened edge and rounded point.

mvg,