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The DLV (Deutscher Luftsport Verband) was organized in 1933, as a para-military sports organization for Germans to fly limited motor-driven airplanes, gliders and ballooning. The DLV Officers wore a very long dirk of 55cms. The dirk design was a crucible form consisting of cigar-shape ribbed wood grip, covered with blue leather. The round nickel-silver, flat-surfaced pommel and matching downswept winged crossguard were inlaid with gilded brass sunwheel swastikas on both sides. The long scabbard was a composition base material, covered with matching blue leather. There are three nickel scabbard mounts which are retained with staples. A chain hanger is affixed to the upper two mounts. The long blade is a nickel-plated example. Transitional DLV and 1st Model Luftwaffe examples exist which are shortened DLV examples, or examples having early composition scabbards and staple-held fittings. The 1st Model Luftwaffe evolved from these daggers.
The 1st Model Luftwaffe dagger, although still a fairly long weapon, was a shorter variation of the previously carried DLV Officer. In 1935, Hitler unveiled the "secret" Luftwaffe to the world, defying the Versailles Treaty. It became the third fighting branch of the German Wehrmacht, and was headed by Hermann Göring as Commander-in-Chief. Initially, only Luftwaffe Officers with flying status wore the new Fliegerdolch. Later, regulations were relaxed and other Officers were permitted to wear the "flying dagger". After 1937, Officers were required to wear the newly introduced Offizierdolch (2nd Pattern Luftwaffe dagger). The 1st Pattern, from that point on, was worn by high ranking NCO's, not officers. Initial patterns of the early Fliegerdolche were constructed using heavy solid nickel materials for hilt and scabbard mounts. Gilded brass sunwheel swastika inserts decorated the pommel and crossguard. The cigar-shape, wood-based grip and scabbard shell are covered in a rich Moroccan blue leather. A chain hanger with snap clip is attached to the scabbard. Examples produced after 1938 have aluminum fittings. Late examples were produced of nickel pot metal hilt fittings with plated steel scabbard fittings. Blades were usually quality nickel plated.
LD1 #30126 MID-PERIOD 1ST MODEL LUFTWAFFE
This This 1st model Luftwaffe was made late in the period and accordingly the hilt fittings are produced with pot metal base and the scabbard fittings are a silver plated steel. The hilt fittings generally do not hold up very well with this pot metal as the silvering did not adhere. The pommel has only about 20% of the original silvering so the majority of the surfaces have the pot metal base. Actually this metal is probably a zinc. The pommel features an engraved sun wheel swastika on both sides. The crossguard has a little more of the original silvering probably about 35-40%. This fitting too has the sun wheel swastikas on both sides. The crossguard arms taper downward in a three segment wing like formation. The grip is a carved wood base covered with Moroccan leather. The leather on this grip shows quite a bit of wear but basically there are no real bad cuts or scrapes. The leather is wrapped with triple copper wire, the center being twisted. The scabbard when we purchased this example had no leather remaining on it. We therefore recovered the scabbard with Moroccan blue leather and it looks the same as it would have been when it was brand new. This leather really looks great and other than the fact that it is in perfect condition you probably would not know that it was done if I did not tell you. The scabbard fittings are in excellent condition having about 95% of the original silvering. There is only minor age that shows on these fittings. All of the scabbard mounts are complete with headless flush mount side screws. The scabbard is equipped with an aluminum chain. This chain has six ringlets at the top and eight ringlets at the lower. Both chains are connected to an aluminum snap clip which is “Ges. Gesch.” as well as “OLC” marked on the reverse. The blade of this example really makes up for the age on the pommel and crossguard. This blade is a high quality nickel-plated example still retaining its original needlelike tip. It is easily in full mint condition and it is etched on the reverse ricasso with the trademark used by this firm after 1940. It consists of perpendicular scales which have the firm’s initials interspersed, “ACS”. Over top of the scales written in script in an arch shape is the firm’s name, “Alcoso” and beneath this is the town of “Solingen”. Many people think that this vintage trademark spells the firm Alcosa with an A on the end but this is incorrect. It is just written out in fancy script and it continues a line after the O swirling underneath which gives it the look of an A. I see this mistake made all the time at shows so it is worth noting. This mint blade is protected by the in place matching blue leather washer. The washer shows some age but is still all there. A nice dagger here for someone getting started or for someone on a budget.
LD1 #30060 ALUMINUM 1ST MODEL LUFTWAFFE - >E.& F. Hörster
This This aluminum 1st Luftwaffe shows quite a bit of usage and carrying time but I must say it still has a very nice condition about it and for those who are looking for something that really does “talk to you” this weapon would be a great addition for your collection. The aluminum mounts are still have the satin bright tone but there are a series of scratches and minor hits around the rim of the pommel and also on the pommel’s face. These are normal marks from wear and tear. It is interesting to note though that the two sun wheel swastikas still have 100% of the original gild. The Hörster company really did a great job with these sun wheel swastikas and there product was deeper toned than any other gold examples. The crossguard also has its share of usage but there is no bad parts about it and if anything it nicely matches the pommel. The crossguard sun wheels also have 100% of the original gild. The ferrule is an aluminum type and it has a smoky look to it as though someone started an aircraft engine and the exhaust smoke somehow stayed with it. Looks great against the crossguard! The grip is a rib base which is toned having ribs running downward from left to right. It is covered with fine original blue Moroccan leather. This leather shows usage and carrying time but there are no bad nips or cuts and most of the grain is still there if you look closely. This fine leather is tightly wrapped with triple aluminum wire, the center wire being twisted. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This shell is covered with the original Moroccan blue leather and it mostly matches that of the grip. The leather still has about 50% of its grain but you can see the wear to it in the handhold areas especially between the upper and center mounts. There are signs of carrying throughout almost every inch of the leather, but honestly there are no spots really that are ripped out or torn and other than just normal press marks which we would expect to see on something carried for a number of years through a war the leather is quite good. In fact, this leather still rates at at least excellent. The scabbard mounts, like the pommel and crossguard, also shows scratches here and there and lots of signs of carrying but they also have their original satin bright tones. The mounts are basically in good condition and they are retained with the original flathead side screws all in place. I notice that on the reverse of the upper scabbard mount there is the word, “Fra.” deeply scratched into the surface. I do not know what this would translate to and it’s possible it may have been the initials of the original carrier. Attached to the rings of he scabbard is a matching aluminum chain. The chain has smoke like dirt with nicotine across its surfaces but again this goes nicely with the rest of the dagger. The upper chain consists of seven ringlets and the lower chain has eight ringlets. Both chains are connected to an “OLC”, “Ges. Gesch.” marked aluminum snap clip. A pleasant surprise on this dagger is the fine blade. This blade has a quality nickel-plated surface which is still mirror bright and still retains its needlelike tip. In fact, this blade is still in a near full mint condition. It only has the usual runner marks. While studying the blade I also notice that the letters, “FRA” are scratched into the ricasso area of the obverse center segment. Obviously this scratching must have meant something to the original owner. The reverse ricasso is etched with the Hörster trademark. It consists of two ovals having the firm’s name and location trapped within, “E&F Hörster Solingen”. Inside is the large “H” letter with the smaller “H” and “S” letters in the center being pierced by a sword. The original blue leather blade buffer is in place. A very nice dagger here which really has the look of World War II but also has lots of condition also.
LD1 #29915 MID-PERIOD 1ST MODEL LUFTWAFFE - E. & F. Hörster
Usually the mid-period examples did not retain their silvering, to say nothing of their original gilding to the swastikas. This example is an exception and in my opinion is a very rarely seen sight. The mid-period fittings on this example still retain nearly all of their silvering. The silvering has a fine dark patination as it does not look to have ever been cleaned. The pommel shows a little usage and the sunwheel swastikas actually still have some gilt to their finish. These swastikas look to be about 90%. The crossguard also has good gilding to the swastikas also being about 90%. It is also interesting to note that the sunwheels across the crossguard have pebbling in their backgrounds. The downswept triple wing quillons match the pommel perfectly also having nearly 100% of the silvering and nice patination. The grip is a wood base being covered with rich blue Moroccan leather. This leather is in excellent condition throughout and still has its original graining. The leather is tightly wrapped with triple aluminum wire, the center being twisted. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This scabbard also has outstanding leather matching the color exactly and having good grain to its surfaces. This leather shows only normal usage signs and there are no nips or scuffs. The scabbard mounts are the silver plated steel type. They too have great preservation, all mounts having a black patina. These mounts are in perfect condition and are retained by headless flush mount side screws. Since this is a mid-period example it is equipped with an aluminum chain. This chain is equipped with seven upper ringlets and nine lower examples. They are attached to a standard nickel snap clip which is marked on the reverse, “OLC” and “Ges. Gesch.”. The clip still shows quite a bit of its original lacquer coating. The blade of this example is a real beauty. It is a quality nickel-plated finish and it retains its original needlelike tip. The finish is mirror bright and this blade rates in mint condition. The reverse ricasso is etched with the double ovals of this firm. The ovals retain the firm’s name and location, “E&F Hörster Solingen”. In the center is the large, “H” letter with smaller letters, “H” and “S” inside with a sword piercing their center. The blade is buffered by a matching leather washer. A really fine 1st model Luftwaffe here in outstanding condition being the mid-period type.
LD1 #29901 ALUMINUM 1ST MODEL LUFTWAFFE - Carl Eickhorn
This example is in very fine condition. The aluminum fittings are that satiny look that never seems to show age. The pommel is a fine Eickhorn type having the rounded edges where it meets the flat circumference. There are very few signs of age on this pommel, just the slightest of scratches but only on the upper portion. This example has the typical muted gilt to the swastikas that Eickhorn used. The gilt is 100% though throughout all of the sunwheels. The crossguard arms are in choice crisp condition showing little to no usage. The ferrule also nicely matches. The grip is a carved wood base covered with blue Moroccan leather. This leather is in choice mint condition throughout still having all of its graining. It is triple wrapped with aluminum wire, the center being twisted for contrast. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This shell is covered with matching rich blue leather. This leather is in perfect condition showing only nominal signs of wear and still having all of its graining. The satin aluminum mounts are also in good condition showing only nominal usage. These mounts are retained by side screws being headless flush mount type. The chain is an aluminum example. This chain has six upper and nine lower ringlets. They are connected to an “OLC” marked snap clip. This clip has quite a bit of the original lacquer still clinging to it. The blade of this piece is a fine quality nickel-plated example still having its needlelike tip. This blade is completely bright and easily in full mint condition. The Eickhorn logo is dark etched on the reverse ricasso. It features a squirrel holding a downward pointing sword. The original leather blade washer is in place. If you’re looking for a very fine conditioned Eickhorn aluminum model this example should really fill your bill. A beauty here.
LD1 #29850 TRANSITIONAL DLV / 1ST MODEL LUFTWAFFE - Carl Eickhorn
This is an extremely early 1st model Luftwaffe dagger mostly likely worn by a DLV member as he transferred his license to the Luftwaffe. The dagger itself is produced of heavy solid nickel fittings having a nice silver plating. As we often see with Eickhorn daggers the pommel swastikas were not the brass type seen on most of the medallion inserts. Eickhorn lightly gilded there swastikas which are slightly raised, but unfortunately most of the gilding is gone to time on these weapons. This is the case here on this pommel. The sunwheels though are nicely patinated and really speak for themselves. This piece does not look to have been cleaned in many years, “if ever”. The edges of the pommel show some mild carrying time, but there are no serious problems. The crossguard is also a fine example. There is some gild still remaining on the center sunwheel swastikas as it is a slightly different metal tone than the darker patination which surrounds it. It gives a nice effect to this piece. The crossguard quillon arms nicely go downward in their three segmentation design. it is interesting to note that the right end of the crossguard quillon is waffen amt with the image of a stick bird being over the numbers, “WaA138”. All of the letters do not come through in the stamping but the numbers are there. If you have a copy of my Luftwaffe Book you can see this same waffen amt stamping which appears on the throat of the dagger shown on page 37. The scabbard throat of this example also matches that of the book example. The grip of this dagger is a fine wood base having sections which run downward from right to left. The wood base is covered by a fine blue Moroccan which still has most of the original grain in the surfaces. This grip leather is in choice condition. It is triple wrapped with triple twisted copper wire. The center wire is slightly thicker than the other two. I notice on the top section two of the grip wires skip over the reverse of the top segment and go right into the hole beneath the pommel. This looks like it was done a long time ago and I don’t see any purpose in disrupting it to put the wire back in place. Whatever this repair was it was definitely done during the period. A very fine hilt here! The scabbard of this example is the style with a composition base being covered in Moroccan leather. The leather has a couple of areas where the metal rutters inside have pushed it out slightly but it is not obnoxious and if you know what the cause is if anything it is a testament of the authenticity of the dagger. The Moroccan leather shows some usage and a few scuffs here and there but nothing that wouldn’t easily cover with a little navy blue Meltonian shoe cream available in any good shoe store. There is also a chunk of surface leather that is missing on the obverse side just above the lower fitting, but again if this scabbard were treated with the above cream none of this would show. The scabbard mounts are matching patinated silver over nickel base. These mounts are in choice condition throughout and they are retained by large style staples. This particular piece from the angle of the staples looks identical to the Eickhorn piece that I show on page 43. The piece in the book is a little later than this one as although the scabbard mounts are held by staples the shell is actually a steel example. At any rate, the chain hanger is the same as the book example. It is equipped with nine upper ringlets and fourteen lower ringlets. These are all silver plated to match the other mounts and are connected to a matching unmarked early snap clip at the top. Where they connect to the rings the tabs are of the “S” clip shape. If you know what you are looking at these early 1st models are an extreme pleasure to examine. The blade of this piece is also a fine example still retaining its needlelike tip. It is nice and bright being a nickel-plated example and having choice crisp segments. There are a few minor scratches in the blade’s surface taking it away from a mint rating, but still it is nice and bright and the scratches are not that offensive. The reverse ricasso is etched with the early double ovals used from 1933-1935. In between the ovals is the firm’s name and location, “Carl Eickhorn Solingen”. In the center is a seated squirrel having a serrated tail and holding a nut in his two paws. The etching to this trademark is still nice and dark in the backgrounds. The original pebbled blue blade washer is in place. This is an extremely nice dagger for those out there that enjoy looking at the way Third Reich edged weapons evolved. This one is as close to a DLV officer as you will find. Extremely nice transitional piece here.
LD1 #29217C CUT DOWN DLV OFFICER - Carl Heidelberg
This DLV Officer is similar to the Adolph Braun example I show on page 10 of my Luftwaffe book. The crossguard arms are also in nice condition, showing some minor wear, but having a good downward flow with crisp triple edges. The grip, apparently, is a wood base, and on this example runs downward from left to right. The leather covering is still good, showing most of the original graining with just a little bit of scuffing. This DLV Officer has been factory shortened about 4 inches, in order to conform to the 1st Model Luftwaffe style. Apparently, this dagger was either produced early on as a DLV piece originally, and then sent back to the factory for retrofitting, or perhaps it came directly out of the factory with this slightly shorter length. There may have been the necessary pieces left over to produce these daggers after the 1st Model Luftwaffe replaced them, so a small manufacturer such as Heidelberg would certainly take advantage of using up these spare parts. The reason I say this is the blade was absolutely shortened by a factory, as there would be no way to tell it is shortened, except for the fact that this is a DLV blade with its unique ricasso and center segment. The pommel of this example is the style that does take down, as it is not peened through. This beautiful fitting has an inlaid sunwheel swastika on both sides. The sunwheel is made of brass, and must have taken a lot of work to properly insert the swastikas. If you have a copy of my Luftwaffe book, these inserts look identical to the easily cover with some polish. If this piece were made as a DLV Officer, there would have been no wire on the grip. It does have wire now, and I suspect that this was done at the time the piece was issued, rather than added later. The reason I say this is that the wire is extremely well done. It is a triple silvered wire the center example, being slightly larger and twisted for contrast. Also, applied to the hilt wrapped about the lower crossguard in the proper tie is an original portepee. This portepee is the small, 23 cm variety, and is completely set in place. Although the portepee shows age, there is no fraying or problems. This is an outstanding untouched hilt here, which does not appear to have been cleaned or messed with since the war. I do not believe that this dagger has ever been apart. The scabbard shell is the type that is made of a composition material. The material is covered with fine grained blue Moroccan leather. This original leather is still in near perfect condition, having good graining and only a couple of very minor scuffs. This shell is thinner than the conventional Luftwaffe types. This scabbard measures a total of 14 ½ inches. The scabbard mounts are of solid nickel material, and they are identical to the mounts that I show on page 10 of my book in color. These mounts, of course, are scalloped where they meet the leather shell. They are retained by small staples, the same as page 10. The matching nickel chain also appears to be the same as page 10. This chain has 9 upper ringlets and 13 lower. The chain is affixed to the scabbard rings via “S” clips, the same as the book piece. The snap clip at the end is an unmarked solid nickel type. It is of the same unique shape as the book piece, but does not have the rivet held spring. This spring is the type that wraps about the lower axle of the snap. This hanger and scabbard mounts match the rest of the dagger, and have never been cleaned. The lower scabbard fitting has the rattle snake-like ending chape that has four distinct sections. The blade of this piece is fashioned in the same manner as the type that Eickhorn used on their production. In fact, this blade has the same style ricasso and segments as is shown on page 8 of my Luftwaffe book. This blade is exactly the same length as a 1st Luftwaffe example, being 12 inches. Normally when a blade is cut down, there are indicators such as a thicker edge towards the point, or the center segment suddenly running to the tip. In this case, though, none of this is apparent. The center segment does approach the tip of the blade, but it has been altered to look like it ends before the tip, at least on one side. Yet, on the other side it does run pretty much into the tip, but whoever did this blade work was a master at such things, and certainly this was not done by a local artisan. The blade itself is still quite bright showing some age and usage in the surfaces, but it certainly grades at about excellent to excellent plus. The ricasso area on the reverse is stamped with two large double ovals that trap the firm’s name and location, “Carl Heidelberg, Solingen”. Inside of the ovals are two matching beer bottles and below the bottles is the firm’s initials, “CH”. The original leather washer is in place. This is a really great dagger for those out there that like variations and enjoy studying the beautiful work that was accomplished by these Solingen craftsmen. It is especially fun to see how money could not be wasted just because a new style dagger came out. The style is close enough to the old long DLV Officer’s style, so why not alter the dagger to make it as close as possible to the new pattern rather than have to discard this piece and purchase an entirely new example. On page 13 of my Luftwaffe book, I compare a couple of Paul Weyersberg pieces, one that has been shortened and the other still its original length. This dagger is of the same consequence. A great piece here for the right person.
LD1 #28839 1ST MODEL ALUMINUM LUFTWAFFE
This beautiful example is probably of later construction, and that would account for the “no maker” mark. But I must say it is a real beauty, and if it was issued, the man who wore it did not do so more than once or twice. The fittings are the fine matte aluminum type, and they are still nice and crisp throughout. The pommel is almost new having just one little mark at about 11 o’clock on the obverse rim, but the rest of it in perfect condition with 100% of the bright gilding to the sunwheel swastikas. The same is true of the sunwheels on the crossguard center block. They are absolutely 100%. The quillon arms are the downward sweeping type, and they too are nice and crisp. The grip is the wood base, having ribs running downward from left to right. This wood base is covered with blue Moroccan leather. The grains are still there, and the leather is in perfect condition. This leather is tightly wrapped with twin twisted wire. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. It is covered with matching Moroccan leather, and it too is in perfect condition with all graining still in place. The matte finish aluminum mounts are totally crisp and perfect. They are retained by headless flush mount side screws. The hanger is a matching aluminum type. This hanger still some of the original frosting in its surfaces, but there is also just a little bit of age in it too, turning it a slightly darker color than the other bright aluminum mounts. The chain has 6 upper ringlets and 8 lower ringlets, and these two assemblies are connected to a snap clip which is “OLC” marked on the reverse, as well as “Ges.Gesch.” The unmarked blade is as nice as the rest of the knife. This later-made-blade is a polished type, as opposed to the nickel plated version. It has good crossgraining throughout, which rates at 100%, and the surfaces are still in fine condition. The blade is protected by an in-place matching blue leather washer. A very fine example here of wartime construction, but the details, workmanship, and materials are still first rate throughout.
LD1 #28801C EARLY 1ST MODEL LUFTWAFFE - SMF
This Early 1st Model Luftwaffe has exceptional fittings throughout. The pommel still has a fine crispness about it, although it does have a few wearing signs around the upper rim. All of the silvering, though, is still intact between the legs of the brass medallion insert. In fact, this sunwheel swastika even seems to have some gilt remaining. The crossguard sunwheels are the same way, also having the silvering intact between the legs. This is rare to see and is a good sign of how much a 1st Model Luftwaffe has received. The quillon arms are also exceptionally nice, having a fine graceful downturn to their triple design. The grip is a wood base covered with fine Moroccan leather. The leather is still in excellent condition throughout, with no problems. It does show some wear and there is not much grain remaining, but still, there are no cuts. This fine leather is tightly wrapped with triple silver wire, the center being twisted. A fine hilt here! The scabbard shell is straight throughout. The original leather had a couple of spots along the lower edge, where there were some nips and some problems. We put in a couple of patches using original pieces of leather, and I must say, they really look good and are not noticeable. They are certainly a lot better than replacing the leather or nothing at all. This leather still has much of its original grain in the surfaces, but does show overall usage throughout. The scabbard mounts are matching nickel, having scalloped designs where they meet the shell. These fittings are in outstanding condition, and they are retained by headless flush mount side screws. The chain assembly is a matching nickel example. There are 9 ringlets for the upper chain and 14 for the lower. Both chains are connected to an unmarked matching nickel snap clip. The blade of this example is as nice as they come. It is a quality nickel plated type, and its surfaces are still in mirror condition. This mint condition blade has the seated king trademark on the reverse. The king sits on the firm’s initials “SMF”, while holding an upward pointing sword. Below the regent is the location “Solingen”, and below this is an early form of a waffen amt stamping. It is a stickbird eagle over the number “5”. This fine blade is protected by an in-place blue leather washer. A very fine 1st Model Luftwaffe here, showing usage of the period but no abuse. Highest quality construction!
LD1 #28668 EARLY 1ST MODEL LUFTWAFFE – SMF
This early 1st Model Luftwaffe does not appear to have been cleaned since the war. All fittings are heavy solid nickel and they have a fine rich yellowy tone to their patination. The pommel shows some normal wear around the outside edges and the sunwheel swastikas are the brass inlaid medallion type. There is still some silvering between the legs of the sunwheels but most of it has worn off. The crossguard sunwheels appear to have all of the silvering still between their legs. The crossguard has the downswept quillons and it is nice and crisp throughout. The grip is the standard wood base having ribs which run downward from left to right. The leather covering shows some usage and a couple of hits here and there but nothing severe and this grip still looks good. The grip leather is tightly wrapped with triple silver wire, the center being twisted. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This shell is covered with matching blue Moroccan leather. This leather shows some usage but no cuts or problems anywhere. Good scabbard leather here! The reverse upper area shows some wear to the graining which was probably caused by the original owner’s hand hold. The scabbard mounts are yellowy solid nickel having never been cleaned. The mounts are in good shape showing some surface usage but no abuse. These mounts are retained by headless flush-mount side screws. The matching solid nickel chain consists of nine upper and fourteen lower ringlets. The two chains are tied into a solid nickel unmarked snap clip. The blade of this example is a high quality nickel-plated type. The plating is still mirror bright and this blade easily grades in a full mint condition with its needlelike tip. The reverse of the blade is etched with the seated king trademark. The king holds an upward pointing sword and sits on the firm’s initials, “SMF”. Below this is the city, “Solingen” and the early stamping consisting of a waffen amt eagle having a number, “8” stamped into his belly. The beautiful mint blade is protected by the in place blue pebbled leather washer. A good untouched example here perfect for the collector who is looking for something with a historical look as well as still good condition. This piece does not appear to have ever been in a collection. I also just noticed that the throat has three small numbers stamped into it,”288”.
LD1 #28669 ALUMINUM 1ST MODEL LUFTWAFFE – Alcoso
I do not remember ever seeing an aluminum 1st model Luftwaffe by Alcoso. This is an interesting dagger and bears the last trademark used by the firm being the, “AWS” interspersed in the scales. The aluminum mounts though look to be in choice collectible condition. The pommel does show some scratches and a little bit of surface damage due to carrying time but overall the gilding is still near 100% and the pommel still looks good. The crossguard example is in perfect condition and these sunwheel swastikas have 100% gild. The crossguard wings slope downward and are the three-tiered variety. The grip is an excellent example being a wood base covered with Moroccan blue leather. This leather is in perfect condition and it is tightly wrapped with a single aluminum wire and a twisted aluminum wire. There is no wire missing here, this is the way this example was made. The scabbard shell is nice and straight. It has absolutely perfect blue leather covering. This leather has an outstanding grain and a nice sheen to it. The scabbard mounts are the matching satin aluminum type. These mounts are in near pristine condition and are retained by flush-mount headless side screws. There is a matching aluminum chain which has six upper and eight lower ringlets. They are attached to an OLC marked snap clip which also has the patent pending stamping, “Ges. Gesch.” The blade of this example is bright throughout having outstanding nickel-plated surfaces. The obverse blade is in full mint condition. The reverse blade is also extremely nice having a couple of tiny smudges which appear toward the end of the blade. This takes the blade from a full mint rating but it still easily is near mint. The reverse ricasso as indicated above is etched with the scales trademark having the last initials used by this firm, “AWS”. To the right is the script name of the company, “Alcoso” over, “Solingen”. This trademark was used in 1942 and reflected the name change from Alexander Koppel Solingen to Alexander Werks Solingen. The Alcoso firm was Aryanised and in 1942 the two Koppel brothers were arrested and sent to a concentration camp. Blades bearing this last trademark are rare to see. An interesting Luftwaffe example here and very rare with this trademark.
LD1 #28597 1ST MODEL ALUMINUM LUFTWAFFE - Carl Eickhorn
This 1st Model Aluminum Luftwaffe shows some mild serving time, but overall it is still in very fine condition. This dagger has all aluminum mounts. The hilt fittings are readily identifiable as Eickhorn, as it has the rounded edges to the pommel as well as the muted gild that was used to coat the sunwheels. If you study these things, you can spot the Eickhorn-made 1st Model Luft across the room at the next Militaria Show you attend. The pommel of this example shows some usage signs along the edges, and there is a slight tap at about the 11 o’clock position. The gilded swastikas, though, are still in choice condition, having 100% of this material present. The same is true of the crossguard sunwheels. This crossguard has excellent downward tipped quillon arms, which have the
three-part-tier arrangement. Nice looking satin mounts here. The grip is a wood base covered with Moroccan blue leather. This leather is in excellent condition throughout, having no breaks or problems. Much of the original grain can still be seen in the surfaces. The grip is tightly wrapped with triple aluminum wire. It is interesting to note that this example is equipped with the original 23 cms portepee. Where the portepee has been wrapped about the lower grip, it has slightly turned the tone of the wire as well as worn some of the surfaces of the leather. If anything, this kind of stuff is a real testament to history and is fun to make note of. The aluminum wire is the triple type, with the center being twisted. This portepee is in good condition throughout, showing a little bit of moderate wear around the slide and stem area. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. It is covered with matching blue Moroccan, and other than some normal signs of wear, the leather is still in good condition with no problems. The original grain is still mostly present across this leather, with some wear evident on the reverse upper quadrant, which would have been the hand-hold point. The scabbard is equipped with matching satin aluminum mounts. These mounts are in good condition throughout, showing only normal usage, and they are retained with flat head flush mount screws on both sides. The matching aluminum hanger is in position. This hanger consists of six upper and seven lower ringlets. They are attached to an aluminum snap clip, which is “Ges.Gesch.” marked on the reverse as well as “OLC”. The blade of this example is as nice as you will see. It is a quality nickel-plated example, and still retains its mirror finish with needle like tip. This blade is in mint condition. On the reverse is the 1935 through 1941 seated squirrel trademark with downward pointing sword. This mint blade is protected by the original blue pebbled leather washer. The washer shows a little wear around the edges, but is still all there. This is a fine 1st Model Luftwaffe which shows signs of the period and actual carriage, but it is also in choice collectable condition.
LD1 #28420 EARLY FLIGHT MARKED 1ST MODEL LUFTWAFFE - Paul Weyersberg
This Early 1st Model Luftwaffe dagger is equipped with all solid nickel mounts. The dagger shows some normal wear of the period, but overall is in excellent condition. The pommel shows some hits to the edges, but they are not deep and would be expected for a dagger that may have been carried for almost a decade. The pommel has the brass medallion inserts that feature sunwheel swastikas on each side. There is no silvering left between the legs of the sunwheels, and the area is nicely patinated. The same is true of the sunwheel inserts on the crossguard. This crossguard also shows some mild signs of usage, but the three-tiered downward swept quillon arms are still mostly crisp. The grip is composed of a wood base, being covered with Moroccan leather. This leather covering shows some wear across the upper surfaces, and there is no grain left to the leather. There are also a couple of nips at the lower section, but these are very old and the wood has almost turned to the color of the leather. Also, these could be easily covered with a portepee. The lower butt plate of the crossguard is flight marked, “H.Kp.l24”. This would indicate that the dagger was most likely the property of the Hildeshein Airport, and that the dagger belonged to the Kamph Group 24. These markings are deeply stamped into the surfaces. There are matching markings that are also stamped into the surfaces of the scabbard throat fitting. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. It is covered with matching Moroccan blue leather. This leather also shows a few signs of usage, but overall, it is in excellent condition and there are no nips or problems. The leather shell is fitted with nickel mounts. These mounts are in good condition, showing minor usage but no problems. The mounts are retained by flat head flush mount side screws, which are installed in the edges. The chain is the standard nickel type. It has nine upper ringlets and ten lower ringlets. It is attached to the standard unmarked nickel-style clip. I notice, also, that the clip at the very bottom is neatly stamped in very small numbers “155”. I don’t know what this number would mean. The blade of this example is a nice bright quality nickel plated example. It still retains its needle tip, and shows a little bit of in-and-out markings and some mild wear to the plating around the tip area, but overall this quality blade is still in near mint condition and is mostly bright. The blade is etched on the reverse with the dual oval trademark that captures the firm’s name and location, “Paul Weyersberg & Co., Solingen”. Inside of the ovals there is a sword pointing downward which pierces two wheat sheafs. Below the trademark is an early stickbird waffen amt, which has the number “5” in his belly. If you are looking for a dagger that has realism to it and also gives you something to research as far as the property markings go, this should be a very satisfactory example. Given that it was worn for nearly a decade, it has outstanding condition.
LD1 #28155 EARLY 1ST MODEL LUFTWAFFE – Carl Julius Krebs
This early 1st model Luftwaffe is produced of heavy, quality mounts and does not look to have been cleaned since the war. The fittings throughout are patinated to a very dark black color. They really look terrific! The pommel cap is particularly stunning, as it is still factory crisp having choice brass sun wheel swastikas. These sun wheels are so well done they almost appear to be inlaid like the early DLV officer pieces. The silvering in between the sun wheel is all there. Despite the great look, these still are medallion insert sun wheels. The same look is true of the sun wheels at both sides of the cross guard. These sun wheels also have 100% silver in between the legs. The downswept cross guard arms are still crisp throughout. Underneath the quillon wing of one side is the number “40” stamped. The same matching number is stamped into the scabbard throat. The grip of this example is also a real beauty. The leather shows some wear to the surfaces but it has also turned an almost deep purple color. If you have ever looked any quantity of any 1st model Luftwaffes, you will see that some of them will get this look after much time. The leather is still excellent throughout this grip. There is still some grain showing and there are no cuts anywhere. Just good old-fashioned wartime hand wear! The grip has sections running downward from left to right and the leather is covering a carved wood base below. This leather is tightly wrapped with very thin triple brass wire, the center being twisted for effect. An outstanding hilt here! The scabbard shell is straight throughout. It, too, has excellent original Moroccan blue leather. This leather shows some carrying wear but, with the exception of a couple of very minor nicks along the lower edge, the leather is still in choice, perfect condition. The scabbard mounts have the same black patination matching the hilt fittings. These mounts show some carrying wear but they speak more of the splendor they were around in the air fields of the Luftwaffe more than they do any kind of inordinate wear. These fine mounts are retained by headless, flush mount side screws. The matching heavy nickel chain has 9 upper ringlets and 14 lower examples. They are connected to an unmarked heavy nickel snap clip. This chain also has a fine patination to the surfaces, as does the snap clip. A really great outside here for those who like untouched things. The blade is also a beauty. It is an early type which reflects quality nickel plating. There are a couple of signs of mild age along the upper and lower edge, but they really are nothing and the blade still grades in near full mint condition. This fine blade bears the mark of a producer that I do not remember ever seeing on an early 1st model Luftwaffe. It is the Carl Jul. Krebbs name which appears over the location of “Solingen”. These letters are all on the inside of an oval shaped logo. In the center of the logo is a crown over the capital letter “K”. This fine blade has been protected by the original dark blue pebbled leather washer. If you are looking for an outstanding example in untouched condition as well as one with a rare maker mark, this one has to fill the bill. An outstanding early 1st model Luftwaffe.
LD1 #27153 1ST MODEL ALUMINUM LUFTWAFFE - SMF
The fittings
of this 1st model Luftwaffe are the satin aluminum type. They
are in good shape throughout, showing only minor usage signs.
The cross guard area in the center has 100% of the gilt remaining
to the sun wheel swastikas. The pommel, however, appears to have
the swastikas perhaps painted into the area some time back and
this paint is beginning to wear on the reverse, but is still pretty
good on the obverse. Sometimes, these fittings were produced with
no gilt on them and, apparently, this was the case with this example.
Whoever painted the gilding in the swastikas, though, did good,
as it does look better than if there were nothing there. The best
thing, though, would be to find a replacement SMF pommel and that
would add probably $300.00 to the value of this dagger. At any
rate, the cross guard arms have good detail to their descending
quillons. The grip is a wood base covered with Moroccan blue leather.
The leather is still in perfect condition and is tightly wrapped
with twisted aluminum wire. The scabbard shell is straight throughout.
It has matching original blue Moroccan leather. This leather shows
some usage signs but no cuts or problems. This scabbard leather
is really good looking. The scabbard shell is fitted with satin
aluminum mounts. These mounts show minor carrying time, but they
have no dings or problems. These mounts are retained by headless
side screws which are flush mounted. There is an aluminum chain
attached. The chain has six upper ringlets and seven lower ringlets.
The two chains are connected to an OLC marked clip. The blade
of this example is still nice and bright. It is a plated surface
and easily grades in near mint condition. The reverse ricasso
is stamped with a stick bird waffenamt and the bird has a number
“5" in his belly. Below the waffenamt is the seated
king trademark. The king sits over the firm’s initials “SMF”
which is over the city of “Solingen”. The original blade
washer is in place. A nice 1st model aluminum Luftwaffe here,
which would be terrific if you have an original gilded pommel.
LD1 #27105 EALRY FIRST MODEL LUFTWAFFE - David Malsch
This Early
Luftwaffe is of initial production, and has good heavy solid nickel
fittings throughout. The pommel cap shows only a bit of usage
signs along the edges, and it is the style that has the sunwheel
medallion insert. These sunwheels are all brass throughout, and
none of the original silvering remains between the legs. The crossguard
is a fine down-swept winged example, and this guard also shows
some age to the plating. The sunwheel inserts are also completely
all brass. Stamped beneath one of the crossguard wings is the
number, “25”. The grip of this example is a wood base,
covered with dark Moroccan blue leather. The leather is in good
shape throughout, without any cuts or problems. It does show some
wear, however, to the surfaces, and there is not a lot of graining
still left in this leather. This leather is tightly wrapped with
a single twisted silver wire. The scabbard is a steel shell covered
with matching blue Moroccan leather. This leather shows signs
of usage throughout, but there are no cuts or problems. The grain
of this original leather is still quite good throughout the surfaces.
The shell is equipped with matching nickel mounts. These mounts
show overall carrying signs, but there are no bends, splits, or
problems. The mounts are retained by flush mount headless screws
in the edges. The chain is one of the desirable, but rarely seen,
flat ringed type. These rings are the same as I show in my Luftwaffe
book, on page 57, center. This all- nickel chain is equipped with
8 upper rings, and 13 lower rings. These flat ringed chains are
connected to an unmarked nickel snap clip. The throat of this
example is stamped with the number “3”. The blade is
a fine, heavily nickel-plated, example. This blade is still nice
and bright, showing the usual runner marks, but overall it is
still quite nice, easily rating in a near mint condition. The
ricasso is waffen amted with an early stick bird figure, having
the number “5” in his belly. Lightly etched above the
waffen amt is an ellipse, which has the firm’s name and location
etched around it. It is etched, “David Malsch Steinbach Thur”.
The center of the ellipse has the firm’s initials intertwined,
“DM”. The original blue pebbled leather washer is in
place. This dagger shows some carrying time, but overall, it is
in excellent condition and is of high quality construction.
LD1 #26020 1ST MODEL ALUMINUM LUFTWAFFE - E. & F. Hörster
This First
Model Luftwaffe is made of the satin finished aluminum mounts
and, since they do not age, at first glance there is a newness
throughout the piece. If you look close, though, you can see the
signs of time in the surfaces throughout. This example has an
outstanding pommel which still has crisp edges and 100% gilt to
both of the sun wheel swastikas. There is some mild scratching
appearing here and there, but it can only be seen close up. The
cross guard is also a beauty, having fine tripl-tiered, down swept
quillon wings. The center blocks sport 100% gilt to the sun wheel
swastikas. The grip leather is also in excellent condition, being
tightly stretched over a wood base. This leather shows only the
most nominal of wear, still being in perfect condition. It is
tightly wrapped with triple aluminum wire, the center being twisted.
The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This shell is covered
with matching original blue Moroccan leather. This leather shows
some signs of being around, but basically it is still in good
condition with no cuts or nips. It perfectly matches the grip
leather color. The scabbard mounts are the same satin finished
aluminum matching the hilt. These aluminum fittings are retained
with flush mount side screws. The matching aluminum chain is equipped
with seven upper ringlets and nine lower examples. They are connected
to an OLC marked clip which is also stamped “Ges. Gesch.”.
The blade of this example is still mostly bright, but there is
a little bit of smudge here and there keeping it from a full mint
rating. It has its needlelike tip intact and the reverse ricasso
is etched with the large double oval trademark used by this firm.
The ovals trap the firm’s name, “E & F Hörster
Solingen”. Inside is a large “H” which, inside
of this has the letters “H” over “S” being
pierced by a sword. The blade grades at at least excellent plus.
This blade has been protected by an in-place blue grained leather
buffer. A nice aluminum example here showing some mild usage,
but still in good condition also.
LD1 #25911C UNTOUCHED EARLY FIRST MODEL LUFTWAFFE - David Malsch
This 1st Model
Luftwaffe has never been cleaned, and does not look to have ever
been apart. It has substantial patination throughout, and is a
good one for those of you out there that like these kinds of pieces.
This one looks to have just come out of the woodwork, and has
all of its history clinging throughout its surfaces. The pommel
shows some mild usage around the rim, but is still in good condition.
It is fairly dark patinated, but it is possible to see that there
is still some silvering between the sunwheel swastika legs. The
brass swastikas are the medallion insert type, and they are in
good condition. The same is true of the sunwheels at the crossguard.
These appear to have more silvering between the legs. The downswept
crossguard quillon arms are very black with patination. It is
possible to see, though, that the segments are still nice and
crisp throughout. The grip still has excellent original leather.
This leather shows some wear to the graining across the top of
the ribs, but there are no cuts, and it is all still there. The
leather is tightly wrapped with triple silver wire, the center
being twisted for contrast. The scabbard shell is straight throughout.
The steel-based shell is covered with Moroccan blue leather, which
exactly matches that of the grip. This leather still has most
of the graining showing, being a little bit thinned at the handhold,
between the two fittings. The leather, though, shows very little
usage, and is all there. It is rare to see original leather still
in this condition. The scabbard mounts are deeply patinated, matching
the hilt fittings. These mounts show some usage throughout, but
overall, they look to be in good condition, with no bumps or problems.
Each mount is retained by flush mount, headless, nickel screws
on each side. The chain assembly is a fine example, being the
style with flat rings. These flat style rings can be seen in my
Luftwaffe book, on page 57, center. This chain assembly is identical
to the book example, as is the snap clip. There are 9 upper ringlets,
and 14 lower ringlets. The chain is connected to the scabbard
carrying rings, via two nickel tabs. It is a pleasure to view
the blade on this example, as it is mirror bright, contrasting
drastically with the toned fittings. This blade reflects high
quality nickel plating. It shows a little bit of age here and
there, but overall, the blade is still in bright, near full mint,
condition. The reverse ricasso is etched with the producer’s
ellipse logo. The firm’s name and location are positioned
around the ellipse, “David Malsch, Steinbach (Thur)”.
Inside of the ellipse is the firm’s initials, “DM”.
There is also a waffen amt, positioned next to the logo, on the
side of the ricasso. This waffen amt is the early style stick
bird, and it is positioned over the numeral , “8”. The
original blue leather blade buffer is in place, and has done a
good job protecting this blade. A fine untouched example, having
many desirable features for the “type” collectors out
there.
LD1 #27312 EARLY 1ST MODEL LUFTWAFFE - SMF
This early
1st model Luftwaffe has never been cleaned and other than the
fact that the scabbard has been recovered, is in “as-found”
condition. The fittings throughout are heavy solid nickel. They
have a large amount of greenish patination covering them, but
this would clean up if someone wanted to do it. The pommel shows
very little carrying time, as the edges are still nice and crisp.
The brass medallion inserts are nice and crisp and appear to have
the silvering still intact between the swastika legs. This is
true also of the center mount sun wheels. The cross guard quillon
arms slope downward, having three-section style wings. The grip
is a wood base having dark blue Moroccan leather covering. This
original leather is still in good condition, not showing a lot
of grain but no cuts either. This grip is tightly wrapped with
diminutive triple twisted brass wire. The scabbard shell is straight
throughout. As noted above, this scabbard shell has been recovered
with new blue Moroccan leather. Other than the fact that the leather
has no scuffing or usage signs, it is comparable to the original
covering and nicely matches the tone and texture of the grip.
The scabbard mounts are in perfect condition, having matching
patination of the hilt. The chain assembly is the seldom seen
style with desirable “flat edge” ringlets. These ringlets
are the same as I show in the bottom photograph on Page 57 of
my Luftwaffe book. The two chain assemblies have nine ringlets
at the top and fourteen at the bottom. They are attached to an
unmarked nickel snap clip. The clip and chain patination exactly
match that of the rest of the dagger. The blade of this piece
has a quality nickel plated finish. The nickel plating is still
nice and bright and other than some mild in-and-out markings,
is still in mint condition. This fine blade is etched with the
seated king trademark. The king has an upward pointing sword and
sits on the firm’s initials “SMF”. The town of
“Solingen” is below. The blade has been protected by
an in-place, blue pebbled leather washer. Although this scabbard
has been recovered, this is a good starter piece as it is all
there and, with a little cleaning up, would really be a nice display
example.
LD1 #27727 1ST MODEL ALUMINUM LUFTWAFFE - E. & F. Hörster
This 1st model
Luftwaffe has the aluminum fittings. These fittings remain bright
throughout but they do show some usage over the years. The pommel
is still relatively crisp, having outstanding 100% gilt to the
sun wheel swastikas. There are some scratches here and there on
the pommel, but nothing serious. The cross guard also is a good
example, showing some usage with good, downswept wings. Like the
pommel, the sun wheel swastikas also have 100% gilding. The gilt
on these Hörster made pieces is brighter and deeper than
most of the other types that we see. The grip of this example
is a wood base type having Moroccan leather wrap. The leather
wrap is still in good condition, showing some usage but no serious
scuffs or problems. It is tightly wrapped with twisted aluminum
wire. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This shell was
recovered many years ago and the leather is starting to look absolutely
original. It has a good grain to it and it is the right color.
The matching aluminum mounts also show some usage signs but overall
are in okay condition. They are retained by flat head, flush mount
side screws. There is an aluminum chain that has 5 upper links
and 7 lower links. The links connect to a snap clip which is “OLC”
and “Ges. Gesch” marked on the reverse. The blade of
this example is an outstanding one. It is completely bright and
mint, having top quality nickel plated surfaces. The reverse ricasso
is etched with the trademark of this firm, consisting of double
ovals. The ovals trap the firm’s name and location “E.
& F. Hörster Solingen”. Inside is the large “H”
with the smaller “h” and “s” letters being
pierced by a sword. The original blue pebbled leather blade buffer
is in place. This buffer shows some mild usage to the edges but
it is still there. A piece which was worn and shows some of its
history on its surfaces. The leather has also been recovered,
but a long time ago and looks good. This dagger is priced accordingly.
An excellent looking piece here.
LD1 #18189 TRANSITIONAL 1ST MODEL LUFTWAFFE - SMF
This example
reflects earliest production, having solid nickel mounts throughout.
The hilt fittings reflect a greenish patination, not having been
cleaned in many years. The pommel has still crisp circumference
edges, showing little wear time. The medallion sunwheel swastika
insert reflects all brass throughout. It exactly matches the sunwheels
at the crossguard. The crossguard has crisp edges to the down
swept quillon wings. One quillon end is waffen-amted with a closed-winged
stickbird, over the number, "96". This same stamping
appears on the scabbard throat area. This same waffen amt stamping
appears on the early Luftwaffe example pictured on Page 66, upper,
in my Luftwaffe Book. It is interesting to note the edge of the
lower butt plate is stamped with a tiny, "52". This
matching number appears on the edge of the throat fitting. Neat
to see this kind of stuff! The grip is a fine example. It is a
wood base, wrapped with Moroccan leather. The leather is quite
beautiful being in totally perfect condition. This grip is wrapped
with triple silver wire, the center being twisted. The scabbard
shell is the early composition material, having no metal. This
leather shows a little age, but is all there, having no cuts or
any problems. Nice! The scabbard fittings are matching patinated
solid nickel variety. Each mount has scalloped edge decoration.
They are retained with large-style nickeled staples. The obverse
side of the upper mount has solder-filled holes which look like
they were originally drilled for the retainer staple, but the
assembler realized the wrong side was holed. These fittings are
in perfect condition. Attached to the scabbard is an early matching
nickel chain. It consists of nine upper and fourteen lower ringlets.
The chains are connected to a plain snap clip. The blade is a
killer. It retains mirror bright nickel surfaces and its original
needle-like tip. This quality blade is in mint condition. The
reverse ricasso is etched with the seated king trademark. The
king holds a sword while sitting on the initials of his firm,
"SMF". Beneath is the arched upward name of the firm
location, "Solingen". The blue pebbled leather blade
buffer is in place. A great example of an early Luftwaffe. Fun
to look at all the neat numbers and construction techniques used
to complete this piece. Very historical example.
LD1 #15896 UNTOUCHED PRESENTATION TRANSITIONAL DLV/1ST MODEL LUFTWAFFE - Tiger
This early
example is a DLV transitional type. It represents the earliest
of construction being produced of solid nickel base metal. It
was given as a gift to a retiring commander of an air base, probably
about 1935 or early 1936. The pommel and crossguard have the medallion
variety swastika inserts. They look terrific, having dull brass
surfaces contrasting nicely with the patined backgrounds. There
looks to be some silvering remaining between the swastikas of
all the fittings, but mostly it is worn. These fittings show minor
carrying time, having no hits or problems. They have not been
cleaned since the war. The grip is in perfect condition, displaying
fine surfaces, and lots of original graining. This grip is tightly
triple wrapped with silver wire, the center being twisted. Fine
hilt section, here. The scabbard is the early type made of composition
base, having no metal in the shell. The composition base is covered
in rich Moroccan blue leather, nicely matching the graining and
color of the grip. This leather is still in perfect condition.
The blade pushing against the runners inside, has caused a couple
of bulges in the leather. Not much to be done here, as this is
a natural development with these soft shells - the force against
the runners is stronger than the tensile strength of the leather
material. The scabbard shell is fit with choice silver over solid
nickel fittings. These fine early fittings are in perfect condition,
having deeply patinated surfaces. They are retained by the larger-sized,
matching silvered staples - not screws in these early fittings.
There is a solid nickel chain. It has nine ringlets at the top
and thirteen ringlets at the bottom assembly. The top chain is
retained by a custom-produced silver connector - it is fairly
long, allowing for the dagger to hang at a slightly different
angle. This fitting was probably a purposeful addition to adjust
the hang-length of the dagger. The chain assemblies are connected
to an early nickel snap clip. The blade is a high-quality, nickel-plated
example. It is mirror bright throughout, however, the obverse
has just a little age pepper mostly in the area around the ricasso.
The reverse blade is fabulous and full mint. It is featured in
my Luftwaffe Book, Page 40 and also Page 75, lower. The center
of the blade segment has engraving running nearly the entire length.
It is professionally engraved, "Dem scheidenden Hauptmann
von dem Unteroffizieren und Mannschaften der Fliegerhorstkommandantur
Prenzlau. Basically this translates to, "Presented to
the departing Captain and Commander of the Prenzlau Air Base,
from the Officers and Men". The captain would have been a
DLV Officer. The blade has a great trademark, being that of a
very large tiger prowling across the blade. The cat is highly
detailed, right down to his whiskers and stripes. The etch is
so terrific, you can almost hear the growling. The cat is positioned
over the a very large company name, "Tiger",
and beneath this, "Solingen". The blue leather washer
is in place. This is a very historic rare piece, and has the possibility
of some research. Should not be too hard to find out who this
captain was, and what he may have done later. I wouldn't be surprised
if this Officer later wound up to be a Luftwaffe General. As we
know, Herr Goering quickly promoted his old flying friends. Absolute
untouched, period example.
