In the color version of Meyer’s longsword, you see this depiction of Olber (Fool’s Guard).
Look closely at the hands and you see that the thumb is to the right of the top quillon and the index finger over the bottom quillon.
Slashes performed with this grip will feel weak and uncontrolled. There are many ways to hold the sword in this posture that work, but this just isn’t one of them. Does that mean Meyer made a mistake?
No, the colorist did. Look at the original, uncolored version.
Notice how the thumb goes over the top quillon to rest on the flat. This is what you got when you bought a copy of Meyer’s book; a strong and effective grip.
As is typical in that time period, after purchasing the book, the new owner would have hired someone to color the pages. That person was probably a professional, given the cost of books, but even pros can make a mistake. Especially when a single drop of paint can change the position of the thumb.
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Wiktenauer replaced the painted illustration with a different painted illustration without the flaw.