United States Navy Officers Sword. Beehive Mark on the ricasso just above the guard for Samuel Hoppe (1827-1885), Solingen. 

Size: 34 X 4 1/2 in. 

#7402 . 

Solingen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, along the northern edge of the Bergisches Land, south of the Ruhr. It is colloquially known as “The City of Blades,” and is world-famous for its high quality cutlery, fine swords, knives, scissors, and razors. Companies such as WKC, DOVO, Wüsthof, Zwilling J. A. Henckels, Böker, Güde, Hubertus, Diefenthal, Puma, Clauberg/Klauberg, Eickhorn, Linder, Carl Schmidt Sohn, Dreiturm, Herder, Martor Safety Knives, Wolfertz and numerous other manufacturers have been based there over the centuries. The medieval swordsmiths of Solingen designed the town’s coat of arms. In the late 17th Century, a group of swordsmiths from Solingen broke their guild oaths by taking their sword-making secrets with them to Shotley Bridge, County Durham, in England. Several companies, particularly WKC, produced swords for military officers throughout the 18th and 19th Centuries, including those used by the United States, France, Russia, and England. Today, any products from any company in Solingen are obligated to adhere to quality standards pursuant to the German Institute of Standardization (DIN). Using high-quality non-corrosive steel, the mark “rostfrei” (rust-free) is required to appear on every piece.