K01650 OFFICER'S DAGGER WITH PORTEPEE & HANGERS. (Kriegsmarinedolch mit Portepee und Dolchgehänge) The Kriegsmarine was the last of the three branches of the German Armed Forces to adopt a Nazified dagger on January 28^TH 1938. The Kriegsmarine dagger was a modified version of a traditional design that dates back to the creation of the Prussian Navy in 1848. The main modification of the Third Reich era dagger was a change in the Reichsmarine flame shaped pommel to one featuring the national eagle with swastika. Roughly 10" long, nickel/silver plated, drop forged steel, stiletto style blade with dual, narrow, central fullers to each side. The blade is plain without the standard acid etched design. The blade is still bright and clean. The reverse ricasso is well marked with the stamped manufacturers logo of a stylized outline of a seated squirrel, with script, "Original Eickhorn Solingen". This pattern of Eickhorn’s logo was utilized circa 1941. The tan felt washer is still intact. The dagger has a nicely detailed, fire gilted, brass crossguard and pommel which are both intact and show minor age tarnish. The crossguard features an embossed fouled anchor to both obverse and reverse centerpieces and an ornate foliage pattern and rosette tips to the horizontal arms. The reverse centerpiece of the crossguard has an integral spring loaded locking button which is fully intact and still functions. The pommel is a likeness of the Wehrmacht style eagle with down-swept wings clutching a wreathed swastika. The dagger has a slightly age yellowed, white celluloid grip mounted on a wooden sleeve with twisted, dual strand, brass wire wrap still intact. The dagger comes with a woven silver/aluminum portepee which is tied in the correct manner. Originally designed as a functional item to secure the blade sidearm to the holders wrist the portepee evolved into a purely decorative accessory. The portepee consists of a silver/aluminum cord with interwoven silver/aluminum slide and stem and twisted silver/aluminum braid crown and ball on a wooden template base. The portepee is in overall very good, clean, condition with all of the components intact. The dagger also comes with its original fire gilted brass scabbard with the deluxe random hammered pattern design. The scabbard has both of the sweated on, embossed, oak-leaf patterned hanger bands with the scabbard rings and hanger loops all intact. The top throat is secured to the scabbard by a single counter sunk screw to the reverse. The fire gilted finish to the scabbard is fully retained. The dagger comes complete with the standard issue dagger hangers with a horizontally ribbed black rayon obverse and a black velvet reverse. Both of the hanger straps are roughly, 1" wide with top strap being roughly, 6" long and the bottom strap being roughly, 13" long. Both of the hanger straps have cast alloy buckles. The buckles are elongated, opened center, ovals with an embossed, detailed, lions head on a circular base to each end. The lion head buckles are slightly mis-matched. The buckles have a central prong for the single grommet on each strap. The hanger straps also have an alloy retaining loop and swivel steel friction clips to each end. The top, shorter strap also has a chain attached, steel, re-gain hook. Interestingly the longer bottom strap has gilt washed friction clips and its buckle has reverted to the flat matte grey of the base alloy. The shorter top strap fittings appear to retain remnants of a silver wash which was only permitted for Administrative personnel. Besides the lack of or improper finish to the hanger fittings all the other components are in overall very good condition.

GRADE **** PRICE $1,265.00