S001786 SS M36 CHAINED SERVICE DAGGER WITH PORTEPEE. (SS-Dienstdolch M36 mit Portepee)

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 9TH 1925. On January 6TH 1929 Heinrich Himmler was appointed as Reichsführer-SS, (National Leader {of the} SS), and on July 20TH 1934 shortly after the, June 30TH 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 first dagger exclusively for SS personnel was the SS M33 service dagger which was introduced on December 15TH 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 16TH 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 9TH), 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 chained M36 dagger in August 1936. The chained M36 service dagger was introduced by Reichsführer-SS, Heinrich Himmler on August 25TH 1936 for Old Guard members of the SS consisting of personnel who held officers ranks as of November 9TH 1935, and all other ranks who were SS members prior to January 30TH 1933. Later wear of the chained M36 service dagger was extended to SS personnel who had a minimum of three years service beginning in 1933. The M36 service dagger was basically identical to the M33 service dagger but incorporated a new suspension chain. The M36 service dagger suspension chain designed by Professor Carl Diebitsch of the Hauptamt Personlicher Stab Reichsführer-SS, Heinrich Himmler, (Personal Staff Department of National SS Leader Heinrich Himmler). Originally the suspension chains, (Circa 1936-1937), were produced in solid nickel/silver which was altered to nickel/silver plated steel in 1938. The suspension chains were produced in at least two, slightly different styles with the first pattern featuring a high relief skull, non-beveled attachment links and generally the DRGM, marking indicating, Deutsche Reichs Gebrauchs Muster, (German National Registered Design). The second pattern suspension chains had a lower relief skull, more detailed crossbones, beveled top connecting links and no DRGM marking. The M36 dagger was a private purchase item and was only obtainable through the SS-Verwaltungsamt, (SS-Administrative Department), in Berlin, later the, SS-Wirtschafts und Verwaltungsamt, (SS-Economic and Administrative Department), also in Berlin, with the appropriate requisition forms being forwarded by the SS-Oberabschnitte Hauptquartier, (SS Districts Headquarters). As a result of the private purchase status the M36 service daggers did not fall under RZM, Reichzeugmeisterei, (National Equipment Quartermaster), controls. The M36 service daggers were also somewhat unique in the fact that they never had any manufacturer’s markings and it is believed that the Carl Eickhorn firm of Solingen was the sole contracted manufacturer. Of Note: On February 15TH 1943 wear of the army style portepee was permitted with the M36 service dagger by SS Officers and senior NCO ranks. This example is a post-1938 produced M36 service dagger with nickel/silver plated fittings and the second pattern suspension chain.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Later production, Circa 1938, nice quality M36 service dagger features a roughly, 22cm 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 35cm. The nickel/silver plated blade is in excellent untouched condition. The obverse of the blade has a nice, deep, well defined, acid etched motto, "Meine Ehre Heißt Treue", (My Honor is Loyalty). The blade has no manufacturer’s markings. The dagger comes with a nickel/silver plated, cast alloy construction cross guard, pommel and tang nut and a carved ebony grip. The nicely shaped ebony grip has a nice snug fit to the cross guard and pommel fittings. The grip has a flush, inset, die stamped nickle/silver national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted, swastika in it’s talons and a nickel/silver plated and enameled runic SS button nicely fit in place. The Dagger has an army officer’s style portepee consisting of the main components of, strap, slide, stem, crown, and ball all worked in bright, interwoven, silver/aluminum wire threads. The dual interwoven silver/aluminum straps 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, formed base. The bottom of the ball has a circular recess with an inset piece of bright, silver/aluminum fabric. The portepee is in overall very good clean condition. The dagger comes complete with an M36 pattern, black, magnetic, sheet metal scabbard with three, magnetic, nickel/silver plated fittings. All three scabbard fittings retain both of their original, matching, small, dome headed retaining screws and the smooth, top fitting has an outwardly flared bottom edge and an integral, upward diagonally angled chain suspension loop with a central, chain retaining cut-out. The central fitting features an embossed, scalloped lip, to both the top and bottom edges and embossed, stylized, conjoined swastika pattern to the center on a slightly textured background field. The central fitting also has an integral, upward diagonally angled chain suspension loop with a central, chain retaining cut-out. The smooth, bottom scabbard fitting has an ovoid, ball tip to the bottom edge. The second pattern, die struck nickel/silver plated, magnetic sheet metal suspension chain features two, six sided, rectangular links, four connecting loops and a cut-out, square link to the top section and four, six sided, rectangular links and five connecting loops to bottom section. The attachment links feature alternating, embossed skulls and crossbones and dual SS runes, with the top section having the skull closest to the cloverleaf and the runes closet to the scabbard while the bottom section is reversed with the dual SS runes closest to the cloverleaf and the skull and crossbones closest to the scabbard. All six links have smooth, raised, outer edges and a slightly pebbled background field. Both the top and bottom chains connect to a Celtic swirl "cloverleaf" design at the top edge with a soldered friction clip to the reverse. The Celtic cloverleaf has a central recessed line and three of the four circular interiors are cut-out with the top one being solid. The reverse of the second, top chain link, closest to scabbard, is well marked with the shallow, stamped overlapping SS runes with an octagonal outer border. The top connecting loops that attach the chains to the cloverleaf are the correct beveled type. One is the best I have seen. Ex Shea collection example.

GRADE ****1/4                             PRICE $

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