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 #31169 Untouched Presentation Transitional DLV/1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - 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.Excellent Plus, Plus. $3,695.00
- LD1 #31168 Transitional 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - 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.Excellent Plus, Plus. $1,395.00
LD1 #30824 Aluminum 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - E. & F. Hörster
This aluminum example is in really excellent original condition. The fittings are the satiny aluminum type that belie age. The pommel shows little carrying time, even when you look at it closely. The edges of both sides are still virtually crisp. The sunwheels are easily 100% and with this producer they are the bright gold color that we like to see. The crossguard is in the same fine condition having 100% gild to the sunwheels. The downward flowing crossguard arms have crisp segmentation. The grip is a beauty being a wood base covered with Moroccan leather. The leather shows only the most modest of usage but is still in first rate condition. This leather still has most of the grain visible. The leather grip is tightly wrapped with triple wire being the aluminum type with the center twisted. A fine hilt here! The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This shell also has first rate original blue Moroccan. The leather shows very little usage and is in perfect condition with no cuts, or nips, or problems. It nicely matches the grip leather. The satin aluminum mounts are also in perfect condition and they are retained by flush mount headless screws. It is interesting to note that the lower scabbard fitting on the obverse has the name of the original carrier scratched into the surface, “Lotz”. This personalization is not real obvious but it can be seen if the fitting is studied closely. The aluminum chain is a fine example having only five upper ringlets and nine lower ringlets. This is apparently the way the original carrier chose to wear his dagger. These ringlets are gathered to an aluminum snap clip which is marked “OLC” on the reverse and “Ges. Gesch”. As we would hope the blade is also a beauty. This blade has been quality nickel-plated and easily is in full mint condition retaining its needlelike tip. The reverse ricasso is etched with the double ovals. These ovals trap the firm’s name and location, “E&F Hörster Solingen”. Inside is the large letter “H” which is pierced by a sword having the smaller letters, “H” and “S” inside. The original blue leather blade buffer is in place. If you are looking for a choice conditioned 1st model Luftwaffe this one would be hard to beat.Near Mint. $1295.00
LD1 #31007 Early 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - F. & A. Helbig
This early 1st model Luftwaffe has never been cleaned since the war. It shows some usage and age but overall it is still in a collectible state. This dagger has highest quality solid nickel hilt parts. These hilt parts have patinated to a dull yellowy color. The sunwheel swastikas at the pommel and the crossguard are the brass medallion types which are soldered into place. The medallions are completely down to the brass and I do not see any plating left between the sunwheel swastika’s legs. Nevertheless the fittings are still in good condition, the circumference around the pommel still being crisp and the same is true to the three stage sections of the downward tipping crossguard arms. The grip is a wood base. It has sections which run downward from left to right. The grip has the original Moroccan leather covering. The leather shows some scuffs and there is also a small piece missing at the lower ring but we colored it in a little bit with some dark marker and it is almost invisible. This leather is tightly wrapped with triple nickel wire, the center being twisted. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. The leather on this shell also shows age and usage but quite honestly there are no bad cuts and it still looks pretty good. This leather nicely matches that of the grip. The shell is fitted with matching highly patinated nickel mounts. These mounts are still in good condition throughout. The reverse of the upper mount has an inscription which was most likely done by the GI who liberated this piece. Neatly scratched into the surfaces is “Frank and Jo Foxx”, then “World War II / 1945 / Cologne, Germany”. Since this personalization was done on the reverse it does not show if the dagger is going to be displayed. These mounts are secured with all in place headless side screws. The chain is of matching nickel and it is one of the seldom seen flat ring types. If you are not familiar with this type of chain you can see it in my Luftwaffe Book on page 57 in the center lower photo. This chain is the same as the example in the book. It is fitted with eight upper ringlets and ten lower ringlets. They are connected to a matching unmarked solid nickel clip. The blade of this piece is still nice and bright. It has some in and out marks but it still remains in excellent condition easily grading excellent plus, plus. The maker marking is quite faint on this blade but there is enough there to see that it was produced by the F&A Helbig firm and that word that appears in the middle of their ellipse logo, “Saeffer” is still readable. There is also just the slightest remains of a waffen amt which was stamped below this. The blade leather washer is in place. A good Luftwaffe dagger here for someone on a budget and also an opportunity to look up the record of an American war veteran.Excellent. $995.00
LD1 #31030C Early 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - Carl Eickhorn
This early 1st model Luftwaffe shows some patination over the silvered solid nickel fittings but the gilded brass swastikas show through it like traffic beacons. Both the pommel and sunwheel swastikas are real beauties being slightly raised out and having all of the silvering between their legs. Additionally they still have a fine gild color to the brass base. The pommel itself shows little usage still having crisp circumferences on both sides. The crossguard center blocks are in the same condition. The three segment crossguard wings flow gently downward and all segments are nice and crisp. The wood base grip is covered with fine Moroccan blue leather. This leather is totally in perfect condition still having most of its original grain in the surfaces. The grip is tightly wrapped with triple copper wire the center being twisted. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This shell is covered with matching choice Moroccan leather. There are no cuts, bumps, gouges, or scuffs on this original leather. It is very rare to see original leather in this nice condition. It also has full graining. The scabbard mounts are matching solid nickel also showing only mild usage. These mounts are retained by flush mounted flathead screws. The matching chain hanger is a choice nickel example having nine upper and fourteen lower ringlets. The ringlets are attached to an unmarked matching nickel snap clip. The blade of this piece is as nice as they come. This blade still has its original mirror finish along with a needlelike tip. It is easily in full mint condition. The reverse ricasso is etched with a fine frosted 1935-41 eagle trademark. The trademark features the squirrel holding a downward pointing sword. The original leather blade buffer is in place. An extremely fine 1st model Luftwaffe here. This dagger has high quality throughout. It has the best condition you are likely to find and it is an Eickhorn too! A very good investment quality piece.Mint Minus. $1895.00
LD1 #30986C Early 1st Model Luftwaffe
This 1st Model Luftwaffe reflects earliest construction. The hilt parts are all of solid nickel base material and are very heavy. The pommel shows a few modest signs of wearing time but it is still in good condition, having a fine brass medallion sunwheel insert on both sides. There are signs of just the slightest of thinning on the nickeled areas between the legs of the pommel sunwheels. The brass sunwheels of the crossguards have no nickel left between the legs. The crossguard arms are gracefully done with downward flowing. Underneath the crossguard arms there is a professional engraving which is Roman numeral “I” “FLAK regt. 10”. This engraving indicates that this 1st Model Luftwaffe was owned by a Flak Regiment. With this information, it should not be difficult to do some research on this particular regiment. The grip of this example is the standard wood base. It is covered with Moroccan Blue leather which shows some wear to the surfaces, but there are no real breaks or problems. This leather is tightly with triple nickel wire that has a twisted center example. The scabbard is straight throughout. This scabbard shell is covered with matching Moroccan Blue leather. The leather shows some minor bumps and age, but there are no cuts or nips in this leather. Even most of the original grain is still there. The nickel scabbard mounts exactly match the dull patination of the hilt fittings. These mounts are in fine condition throughout, and they are retained by headless flathead side screws. The matching nickel chain is in position. This chain has 9 upper ringlets and 13 lower ringlets. They are connected to an unmarked matching nickel snap clip. The blade of this Early 1st Model Luftwaffe is as nice as they come. This blade is mirror bright and reflects outstanding quality nickel plated surfaces. Other than the usual runner marks, this blade is in full mint condition. The reverse ricasso is etched with the well-known logo of the seated king holding an upward pointing sword. The king sits on the firm’s monogram, “SMF”. Beneath is the name of the location, “Solingen”. The blue leather blade washer is in place. The scabbard throat of this example is marked “69”. A very fine researchable 1st Model Luftwaffe here.Excellent Plus, Plus. $1,695.00
LD1 #31001 Aluminum 1st Model Luftwaffe
This 1st Model Luftwaffe has a couple of restoration aspects, but it is also a
good-looker and is priced accordingly. The dagger is equipped with the satin aluminum mounts. The pommel shows a few scratches on the surfaces, but it is not too bad, and the gilt to the sunwheels remains at 100%. The gilt seems to more than make up for the scratches. The matching crossguard is also a fine example, having 100% gild to its center block sunwheels. The downward flowing crossguard arms are also crisp. It is interesting to note that the original owner has scratched his rank and name in the reverse center segment of the crossguard. It is scratched, “Gefr. Alex. Braun”. This same name and rank is also scratched on the upper reverse scabbard fitting. It is possible that this Gefreiter (Corporal) could be researched. The grip of this example is a wood based variety that has been covered with fine blue Moroccan leather. The leather is in perfect condition, and is completely original. This grip leather is tightly wrapped with two rows of twisted brass wire. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. There was no leather on this example when we purchased it. We, therefore, recovered this scabbard with Moroccan Blue leather, and frankly if I did not tell you, I would doubt that you would notice that this leather is new. It is exactly like the old type, and it nicely matches the original grip leather. The scabbard mounts are the satin aluminum type and exactly match the hilt. These mounts are retained via the headless flush mount flathead screws. The aluminum chain is in place and it reflects 6 upper and 8 lower ringlets. These ringlets are connected to a matching aluminum snap clip that is Ges.Gesch. marked on the reverse and also “OLC” marked. A good looking outside here. The blade of this example is nice and bright. This blade had some smudge on it, and I therefore, sent it out to have it cleaned. It reflects the new graining of the cleaning process, but at least it is now nice and bright and really looks good. This blade is marked on the reverse with the seated king trademark. The king holds his upward pointing sword and sits on the initials of the firm, “SMF”. Below is the location of “Solingen”. Below this is an original waffen amt which features a stickbird with the number “5” in his belly. There is a fine blue leather washer in place. A very nice partially restored dagger, which is priced accordingly.Excellent. $895.00
LD1 #30787 Early 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - Emil Voos
This Emil Voos piece is about as nice as they come. It does not look to have been cleaned in many years and has a certain great quality about it. The pommel still has extremely crisp edges and it is a solid nickel base metal type. There is also a small amount of frosting here and there and a lot of the original gild still remains over the sunwheels. It is very rare to see a state of preservation like this. The crossguard is the same. This example also has much of the gild over the sunwheels. The silvering between the legs is also all there. The crossguard arms have nice segments and there is still frosted silvering appearing in the crevices. This crossguard is also very crisp. The grip is a beauty. It is a wood base having fine Moroccan blue leather covering. The leather still has all of its graining and remains in perfect condition. This grip is tightly wrapped with triple brass wire, the center being twisted. An outstanding hilt here! The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This shell is covered with matching Moroccan leather. This leather shows only the most modest of carrying time and there are no cuts, bumps or nips in the surfaces. The grain is still there also. These mounts have beautiful silver plating and they are the style which have a steel base. The mounts are in perfect condition and are retained by headless flush mount side screws. The chain hanger is the aluminum type. We often see aluminum chains instead of nickel used on the slightly later initial production models. This chain features six upper and nine lower ringlets. They are connected to an OLC marked “Ges. Gesch” aluminum snap clip. The chain appears as though it has also been silver plated to match the other pieces. Much of this silvering still clings to this hanger assembly. As we would hope, the blade of this example is nice and bright reflecting outstanding nickel-plated surfaces. Other than the usual in and out marks this blade is in mint condition. The reverse ricasso is etched with a single oval which presents the firm’s name and location around the inside perimeter, “Emil Voos Solingen”. Inside is the well known trademark of a snake wrapped around a tree trunk. The original blue leather blade buffer is in place. If you are looking for an outstanding untouched 1st model Luftwaffe this dagger will fill your bill. A very, very fine piece!Uncleaned Near Mint. $1695.00
LD1 #30663 Aluminum 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger
This 1st model aluminum Luftwaffe example is a real beauty throughout. It has fine satin finished aluminum mounts throughout the hilt. These mounts at first glance look almost new like but once you study them you can see that they were certainly carried and worn for a number of years. The pommel although still crisp does have some minor surface scratches and wearing signs throughout both sides. The sunwheel swastikas though are a fine gilded finish and still remain in 100% condition. The crossguard has much less wear signs but there are some if you look closely. The crossguard arms gently fold donwards in three segments. The crossguard sunwheels are also 100% gilded. The grip of this example is a wood base covered with rich Moroccan blue leather. This Moroccan leather is in perfect condition throughout still having all of its original grain. The grip is tightly wrapped with a single twisted silver wire. A very fine hilt here! The scabbard shell is straight throughout. It has matching Moroccan blue leather covering and other than the normal signs of a few bruises and bumps this leather is still in perfect condition. The leather also has all of its original grain. The scabbard mounts are matching satin aluminum. These mounts are in totally perfect condition throughout and they are retained by headless flush mount side screws. The throat has a accountability number stamped into it, “369” indicating this was probably an example issued to an NCO and was expected to be returned. The matching aluminum chain has six upper and eight lower links. These links are connected to an OLC marked snap clip which is also Ges. Gesch. marked. This clip has minor amounts of frosting still clinging to its surfaces. The blade of this example is mirror bright and has a high quality rich nickel-plated surface. The blade is easily in mint condition still retaining its needlelike tip. The reverse of this blade is marked with the tiger making his way down towards the tip in the center segment. Behind the cat is stamped the name of the firm and its location, “Tiger Solingen”. Some of the first couple letters in Solingen are missing from this stamping. Contrary to popular opinion the German blade makers were not perfect! The original leather washer is in place. A very choice dagger here in exceptional condition.Near Mint. $1495.00(#081910)
LD1 #30598C Late 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger
This later produced 1st model Luftwaffe has the pot metal hilt fittings with the silvered scabbard mounts. The hilt fittings are basically in pretty good shape in that they have retained their original nickeled surfaces. Usually this nickeling comes off rather quickly revealing the gray zinc pot metal below. Unfortunately there is no gilding left on either one of the sunwheel swastikas however. The pommel still has crisp edges showing a little wear to the outer surface. The crossguard has good downward pointing wing segments and there is just the slightest bit of gray metal showing underneath but overall these are about 95%. The grip is the standard wood base type being covered with Moroccan blue leather. This leather shows some scraping on most of the obverse ribs. This type of wear is easy to fix simply by giving the leather a good coating of Meltonian shoe cream. You can get this in any good shoe store and if you buy the navy blue color you will find it works very, very well with 1st model Luftwaffe leather. This grip is tightly wrapped with twisted single brass wire. The butt plate of the crossguard on this example is the thick type – a dead giveaway of a later example. This scabbard shell is straight throughout. It is covered in blue Moroccan leather. This leather also shows some scuffs and use of the period but again the Meltonian shoe cream will work wonders for you. The scabbard mounts show quite a bit of age. The lower example seems to be OK having all of its silvering but the center example has worn plating on one side and the upper mount has worn plating on both sides. With a little cleaning and polishing though these mounts would probably not look too bad. Connected to the upper and center mounts is the original aluminum chain. This aluminum chain has six upper and eight lower ringlets all connected to an aluminum snap clip. The snap clip is patent pending “Ges. Gesch.” as well as “OLC” marked. It is interesting to note that these scabbard mounts are not retained by headless flush mount screws but rather the screws have heads with them and they are still in nice unturned condition. The one redeeming factor for this dagger is its fine blade. This blade reflects a remarkable nickel-plated surface and it is bright throughout. The ricasso area has one small age stain but other than that this blade appears to be in full mint condition. The original leather blade buffer is in place. This is a good dagger for someone who wants to exercise his skill in polishing and restoration. This dagger is not that bad and will really clean up nice for someone who wants to perform the effort. It is priced accordingly.Good Plus. $695.00
LD1 #30600C Transitional 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger
This transitional Luftwaffe is the style that has the scabbard shell with no metal inside. Unfortunately this dagger is not in good condition so it can either be parted out or if someone would like to try their skills at restoration there may be some saving graces for this dagger. The hilt fittings are the early nickel type. Both the pommel and the crossguard have the medallion sunwheels which are inserted and held in place with solder. The pommel of this example has some hits especially to the top of it where it is slightly flat. The rest of the pommel also shows some usage but it is commensurate with the dagger. The crossguard is in nice condition throughout showing age but really no abuse or bad hits. The sunwheel medallions are also in good condition here still having most of the silvering between the swastika legs. The grip is a wood base having a Moroccan leather covering. There are some scuffs throughout the leather and a small missing piece up at the pommel area but overall these could be easily covered with a little Meltonian navy blue shoe cream. This leather is tightly wrapped with a single twisted brass wire. As mentioned above the scabbard shell of this example is a composition base having no metal inside. This base is covered with matching blue Moroccan leather. This leather shows quite a bit of age an a lot of scuffs and bruises. The leather though is still mostly all there and the Meltonian would also clean this up quite a bit. There is a little bit of runner “bulge out” at the bottom of the scabbard and this is caused merely by the blade pressing up against the runner which of course forces the leather outward also. This is common to see on these transitional NDVL style scabbards. The two upper fittings of this example are the standard nickel type. The upper mount has been used as a hammer on the left side and unfortunately has received quite a bit of damage from the blows. It would be possible though to fix some of this by exerting pressure from the inside. The center mount is a fine matching example and this one is in excellent condition. These two mounts are retained by small copper staples. Unfortunately the lower mount appears to have gone to time and someone along the line has substituted a bottom fitting from what looks to be a turn of the century bayonet. Perhaps an early lower fitting could be located to properly replace this incorrect example. Attached to the two upper mounts is a really great chain. This chain is of all nickel construction and it is the style that has the flat rings. If you are not familiar with these type of rings you can see them on page 57 of my Luftwaffe book in the center of the picture. This chain has nine upper rings and fourteen lower rings. I notice that the lower chain is twisted which indicates that more than likely this chain is not original to the piece and someone put it on without first straightening all the ringlets to make sure it was properly aligned. This, of course, is an easy fix – just a matter of removing the lower clip and turning it around. The blade of this example, although an Eickhorn marked piece, is in pretty bad shape. There are a lot of scratches that go across both sides of the blade and I don’t know what caused them but probably the same “abuser” that dented the upper scabbard fitting also did this damage to the blade. The trademark on the blade is the 1935-41 squirrel type and there is a waffen amt which is partially stamped below the Eickhorn trademark. The original blade washer has gone to time. Once again this is a good dagger for someone out there who wants to do some restoration. These transitional pieces are quite rare so it would be worth the effort to try to bring this one back.Good Only. $795.00
LD1 #30560 Late 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger
This later 1st model Luftwaffe has the pot metal zinc based hilt fittings. You can always tell these at a glance as the butt plate below the crossguard area is thicker than the other types that you will see. Unfortunately the silvering or nickel usually didn’t hold up to well on these zinc based fittings and rarely do you see any gilding remaining to the sunwheel swastikas. On this example both the pommel and the crossguard show a bit of patination and there does seem to still be some silvering there. The pommel has crisp edges and the sunwheels are still quite prominent but blend into the rest of the patina. The crossguard seems to also have quite a bit of the original finish remaining. The reverse crossguard has good sunwheels whereas on the obverse the sunwheel swastika has turned green probably from some moisture that accumulated near it. The grip is the standard wood base type. This grip has outstanding Moroccan blue leather. This leather still has its original graining and is in near mint condition. This leather is tightly wrapped with triple silver wire, the center being twisted. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This shell also has outstanding original blue Moroccan leather. This leather shows only the mildest of age but still remains in perfect condition with no hits, nips or problems. The scabbard mounts are the silvered steel base type. They have patination matching the hilt fittings. These mounts are in perfect condition throughout and they are retained with flathead flush mount screws. The chain is the aluminum type. This chain has six upper and ten lower ringlets. They are connected to a “Ges. Gesch.” marked matching aluminum clip which is also maker marked “OLC” in a diamond. The blade of this example is a fine one. It has outstanding mirror finish nickel-plated surfaces and retains its needlelike tip. This blade is in full mint condition. It is marked on the reverse with the scale trademark used from 1937-1939. It exhibits the scales having the firm’s initials interspersed and above these scales in an arch shape is the block lettered name, “Alcoso” and below the location of “Solingen”. The original blue leather blade buffer is in place. A decent example here probably produced as the war was beginning in 1939.Excellent Plus. $995.00
LD1 #30422 Uncleaned Early 1st Model Luftwaffe
This early Tiger marked piece appears to be of initial production. It has never been cleaned and looks like it just came out of the veteran’s cellar or attic. The mounts throughout the hilt are the early nickel type. They have a dull yellow color and reflect a half a century’s patination. The pommel still has good edges with only a few signs of carrying time. The medallion sunwheel swastikas on both the pommel and the crossguard are the insert variety but neither one has any silvering left between the swastika legs. The crossguard wings are still crisp and tip down nicely. Beneath the crossguard there appears to be the original owner’s initials scratched into the surface, “E.J.”. The grip is a standard wood base type which is covered with Moroccan leather. This leather is still in excellent condition showing some usage but no real problems. The leather is tightly wrapped with very thin triple wire, the center being twisted. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This shell is covered with matching Moroccan leather. Most of the grain is still all there showing a little bit of wear on the reverse upper area probably from the original wearer’s hand. It appears as though the leather seam was beginning to lift as there is some very old glue which is holding it down. The residues of glue that I can see look like the old airplane model glue that we used to use when we were kids. A little polish over this scabbard though would cover these flaws and would really look good. The scabbard mounts are the early solid nickel variety. They are in perfect condition also not having been cleaned since the war. These mounts are retained by flush mount headless side screws. The matching nickel chain has eight upper and thirteen lower ringlets. These assemblies are attached to an unmarked matching patinated nickel clip. The blade of this example is as nice as you will see. It has high quality nickel-plated finish and the needlelike tip is still there. This blade has the desirable trademark of the Tiger producer. This trademark is identical to the example I show on page 75 of my Luftwaffe book. It is the large mark that positions the tiger crawling across the blade overtop of the firm’s name and location, “Tiger Solingen”. The cat has outstanding detail to its prominent stripes, teeth, eyes, legs and tail. This blade, other than runner marks, is in mint condition. The original blue leather blade buffer is in place. A nice untouched piece here which would either clean up if the next person wanted to do this or with a little bit of Meltonian leather cream would look great as it is.Excellent Plus. $1295.00
LD1 #29915 Mid-Period 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - 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.Near Mint. $1495.00
LD1 #29901 Aluminum 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - 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.Near Mint. $1495.00
LD1 #29217C Cut Down DLV Officer Dagger - 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.Excellent Plus, Plus. $4495.00
LD1 #28839 Aluminum 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger
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.Mint. $1,395.00
LD1 #28801C Early 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - 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!Excellent, Plus. $1,395.00
LD1 #28668 Early 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger – 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”.Excellent Plus, Plus. $1495.00
LD1 #28669 Aluminum 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger – 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.Excellent Plus, Plus. $1495.00
LD1 #28420 Early Flight Marked 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - 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.Excellent Plus. $1,695.00
LD1 #28155 Early 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger – 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.Excellent Plus, Plus. $1,395.00
LD1 #27153 Aluminum 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - 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.Excellent Plus, Plus. $1,195.00
LD1 #27105 Early 1st Model Leftwaffe Dagger - 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.Excellent Plus, Plus. $1,295.00
LD1 #26020 Aluminum 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - 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.Excellent Plus, Plus. $1,095.00(#082610)
LD1 #25911C Untouched 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - 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.Excellent, Plus. $1,395.00
LD1 #27312 Early 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - 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.Excellent Plus. $995.00
LD1 #27727 Aluminum 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger - 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.Excellent Plus, Plus. $995.00