BACKGROUND: The Allgemeine-SS, (General-SS), was originally formed in May 1923 as the Stosstrupp Adolf Hitler (Shock Troops), and redesignated Schutzstaffel, (Protection Squad), in April 1925 with the official acceptance of the name verified on the second anniversary of the failed Munich "Beer-Hall" Putsch on November 9^TH 1925. On January 6^TH 1929 Heinrich Himmler was appointed as Reichsführer-SS, (National Leader {of the} SS), and on July 20^TH 1934 shortly after the, June 30^TH 1934, purge of the SA, Sturm Abteilung, (Storm/Assault Detachment), on the "Night of the Long Knives", the SS was rewarded by Hitler by being granted the status of an independent organization under direct control of the NSDAP Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party). The SS M33 service dagger was introduced on December 15^TH 1933 for wear by all full SS members, regardless of rank. The dagger was intended as an ornamental item and the design was based on the traditional 16^TH century Swiss "Holbein" hunting dagger as was being utilized for the SA personnel’s dagger with a different coloration and insignia. The daggers were bestowed annually to newly accepted SS members at 10:00pm on the anniversary of the unsuccessful Beer Hall Putsch, (November 9^TH), in front of the Feldherrnhalle in Munich. Originally the daggers featured an anodized scabbard and utilized nice quality, solid nickel/silver fittings until roughly early 1937 when the scabbards began to have a painted finish and cheaper nickel/silver plated fittings replaced the earlier solid nickel/silver fittings in 1938. Of Note: During the course of the Third Reich there were five distinct SS daggers introduced starting with the M33 dagger in 1933, the Röhm inscription, the Himmler dedication and the SS Honor dagger in 1934 and the M36 dagger in August 1936. Also Of Note: The RZM, Reichzeugmeisterei, (National Equipment Quartermaster), was officially founded in June 1934 in Munich by the NSDAP as a Reich Hauptamt, (State Central Office), and was based on the earlier SA Quartermaster’s Department. The functions of the RZM were not only to procure and distribute items to Party formations, but also to approve chosen designs and to act as a quality control supervisor to ensure items manufactured for the Party met required specification and were standardized. Starting in late 1934 items manufactured for the SS came under the quality control of the RZM and as a result were marked with the RZM logo when appropriate. Of Note: In 1943 the Waffen-SS assumed full control over production of their items, including edged weapons and production no longer fell under the authority of the RZM.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Early, (circa 1933-34), nice quality dagger features a roughly, 8 5/8" long, double edged, nickel/silver plated, drop forged steel construction blade with a low central ridge and a full length, including the hilt, of roughly, 13 5/8". The nickel/silver plated blade shows light to moderate scabbard runners and some light surface spotting with some of the original cross graining still being visible. The obverse of the blade has a nice, deep, well defined, acid etched motto, "Meine Ehre Heißt Treue", (My Honor is Loyalty). The reverse of the blade has a well defined, acid etched manufacturer’s logo, name and location. The logo consists of a dual lined, vertically oval cartouche encompassing a diamond pattern superimposed on a star and the manufacturer’s name and location, "Rich. Abr. Herder Solingen". The dagger comes with a solid nickel/silver cross guard, pommel and tang nut and a carved ebony grip. The cross guard, pommel and tang nut all show a light, age toned patina. The reverse of the cross guard is well marked with stamped Roman numeral, "I". Of Note: It is alleged that the Roman numeral marking signifies this dagger was an issue item as opposed to a private purchase item. The nicely shaped ebony grip has a nice snug fit to the cross guard and pommel fittings. The grip has a flush, inset, solid nickel/silver national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted, swastika in it’s talons and a nickel/silver and enameled runic SS button nicely fit in place. The runic SS button shows some light verdigris spotting and the grip has a hair line crack to the center of the top edge. The dagger comes with a black painted, magnetic, sheet metal scabbard with solid nickel/silver fittings. The scabbard retains about 95% of its black paint with a few small scrapes and scuffs to the base metal. The solid nickel/silver top and bottom fittings both show the same light, age toned patina as on the cross guard, pommel and tang nut. Both the top and bottom scabbard fittings retain both of their dome headed retaining screws and the top fitting has the hanger suspension ring and loop intact. The bottom scabbard fitting ball tip shows a very sized dent and a small crack.

GRADE ***1/2                             PRICE $ SOLD