A German knife with retractable blade, a so-called "Hexenstecher", dated 1691 Four-edged thrusting blade, which slides into the handle by means of two springs released by a locking device. Wooden handle with a ferrule made of brass and iron, iron grip cap inscribed with a hexagram and the date "1661". Plain wood scabbard. Length 31 cm. It was widely assumed that the devil had placed a mark on the bodies of his followers. This devil's mark was supposedly insensitive to pain - when pricked with a sharp object, no blood was said to emanate from the wound. In the c,

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Photo credit: © INTERFOTO / History / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -called, 17th, arms, blade, blades, century, clipping, clippings, cut, cut-, cut-outs, dated, device, devices, german, hand, handheld, hexenstecher, instrument, instruments, knife, melee, object, objects, retractable, stills, thrusting, thrustings, torture, weapon, weapons