BACKGROUND: Traditionally German Army Officer’s had worn a sabre as part of the uniform dress and this tradition was carried on through the Weimar era and on into the Third Reich. In an attempt to build morale and curry favour within the Army, Hitler introduced the Dress dagger for optional wear with the walking out dress, and retained the sabre for wear on more formal occasions. The Dress dagger was designed by Berlin graphic artist Paul Casberg, and approved for wear on May 4TH 1935.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The dagger features a roughly 10 3/8" long, drop forged steel, nickel/silver plated, stiletto style blade with a flat central ridge. The blade shows some minor surface spotting but is overall still quite clean and bright with most of the original cross-graining still visible. The reverse ricasso is well marked with deeply acid etched manufacturers logo and script. The logo consists of a likeness of the legendary Germanic hero "Siegfried" wielding a hammer encompassed by dual, vertically oval, outer borders with script, "Ernst Pack & Söhne M.B.H. Waffenfabrik". The blade also has additional acid etched script outside of the oval border consisting of, "Siegfried Solingen Waffen". The tan leather washer is still intact. The dagger has a cast alloy, nickel/silver plated, crossguard, ferrule, and pommel. The obverse crossguard features the embossed army eagle with outstretched wings and a plain reverse. The ferrule and pommel both feature embossed repeating oak-leaf patterns. The dagger has a molded, yellow/orange celluloid grip with the correct diagonally angled ribbing. The dagger comes with its original magnetic, sheet metal, nickel/silver plated scabbard with a random pebbled pattern to both the obverse and reverse and smooth side panels. Both of the sweated on scabbard bands with the hanger suspension rings are intact. The scabbard bands feature a repeating, embossed oak-leaf pattern. Domed headed throat retaining screw is intact.  The dagger also comes with a portepee and the dagger hangers. The portepee consists of the main components of, strap, slide, stem, crown, and ball all worked in bright silver/aluminum wire threads. The dual interwoven silver/aluminum straps are roughly 15" long, and are inserted through the interwoven slide and into the top of the interwoven stem. The crown consists of horizontally laid, twisted silver/aluminum braiding while the crown consists of vertically laid, twisted silver/aluminum braiding both mounted on an internal, carved wooden base. The bottom of the ball has a circular recess with an inset piece of bright silver/aluminum fabric. The portepee is tied in the correct manner. Also included is a dagger hanger. The hangers consist of a molded alloy construction, three section, top clip, with one section each for the two hanger bands, and the third for attaching the hangers to the belt. The hanger bands are riveted to the top clip and consist of a machine woven, silver/aluminum facing with a central waffle pattern, flanked on either side by a smooth vertical stripe. The reverse of the hanger bands have a protective green velvet backing (showing age wear and use). The bands are roughly, 9" and, 8" long respectively and both are almost, 3/4" wide. Both of the bands have a molded alloy, solid backed, oval, pronged buckle with a single corresponding alloy prong grommet and an alloy retaining loop. The ends of each band has a molded alloy, spring activated, retaining clip to attach to the dagger scabbard suspension rings. The top clip, buckles, retaining loops and retaining clips all have an ornate, embossed, oak-leaf pattern. All the alloy fittings have lost most of their original silver wash and have reverted to the flat matte grey of the base alloy with a faint yellowish patina. The top clip and the reverse of both of the retaining clips are all well marked with impressed initials, "D.R.G.M." indicating, Deutsche Reichs Gebrauchsmuster, (German National Registered Design). The hangers show light to moderate age and usage toning. Overall, nice complete example.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $714.00