The SS (Schutzstaffel) was originally formed in 1925. It was formed to act as a small bodyguard unit to protect the Führer, Adolf Hitler. Under the direction of the Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, the SS grew to be the most ruthless and feared organization of the 20th century. They were the vanguard of Nazism and eventually controlled nearly every function of German life and much of Occupied Europe. The SS dagger was introduced in 1933. Early on, members of the SS were awarded their daggers during a ceremony at the Feldherrnhalle Memorial in Munich. The annual ritual, charged with mysticism and meant to reflect the traditions of medieval Teutonic knights, was held on 9 November, the date of the martyred unsuccessful Putsch of 1923. Both officers and enlisted men wore the identical dagger until 1936. After this time, only enlisted men wore the M1933 dagger. The SS dagger was equipped with nickel crossguards with an ebony wood grip. The black grip contained a National eagle with swastika insignia recessed in the center area and an SS sigrunne button inset at the top. On early examples the scabbard shell surface was factory blackened using a metal bluing process. The scabbard had nickel mounts. The SS blade was a polished type containing the SS motto, Meine Ehre Heisst Treue (My Honor is Loyalty). Early examples bore one of three district stampings on the lower reverse crossguard of I, II, or III. Early examples were mostly hand-fit. Production of later examples was more standardized, using cheaper, nickel-plated fittings with black painted scabbard shells.

Site Search by PicoSearch. Help

1.  SSDAG #31305C Model 1936 Chained SS Dagger with Silver Hallmarked Chain

   This Chained SS Dagger is one of the examples we see once in awhile that has steel based crossguards that are nickel-plated. Although there is no maker mark on the blade, these steel-based crossguards are identified as the work as F & S Helbig when they are seen on SA Daggers as well as Model 1933 SS Daggers. It is reasonable to assume then that this is the firm that made this piece. If you are not familiar with the plated steel crossguards, there is a Chained SS appearing in my SS book on Page 147, which has these guards. They are pretty much immediately recognizable by the thickness of the lower crossguard. In the case of this example, the lower crossguard remains in choice, bright condition, having 100% nickel-plating. The upper crossguard, however, does show some deterioration in the plating and some pitting on the reverse. The former owner of this dagger has cleaned the crossguard up pretty well, but with a close look, the pitting can still be seen on the reverse. The tang nut is still in fairly good condition. Other than this crossguard deterioration, though, the rest of the dagger is really in choice condition. The grip is a perfect-conditioned ebony example. This wood shows some minor usage, but there are no chips or repairs and it has a nice black/gray color tone throughout. The grip fits the crossguards like a rubber glove. The runes button is nicely placed and is turned to about seven o’clock. The grip eagle is one of the “high-necked” types and has outstanding detail to the head, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons, wreath and mobile swastika. There is little to no wear to this bird. There is also a good aluminum 42cm bullion portepee. It is nicely tied around the grip. This knot shows some minor age, but no wear problems.

   The scabbard is also a very fine example. It is straight throughout and has outstanding anodized surfaces. The anodizing appears to all still be there at 100%. I don’t see any lacquer on the anodizing and assume that this is the type of scabbard that was not factory lacquered. There are a couple of tiny age stains here and there in the surfaces, mostly on the rear, but overall, this is a very fine anodized scabbard. The upper and lower mounts are the typical plated variety. They still retain their original factory brightness throughout. The lower ball has just the slightest of a tap in the center. But it doesn’t show from any of the angles. The original screws are in place and still have most of their plating, being the dome head type. They are unturned. The center ramp of this dagger is a type of which I have never seen before. It looks similar to the later style ramp that can be seen on Page 42, but it also differs in that it is of much higher quality throughout and it also has a short center ridge line on both edges. The raised set of three intertwined swastikas on each side is also of high quality. The pebbling in the backgrounds is more distinct than we would normally see. A very beautiful center ramp here, having a great look if you enjoy studying special mounts. This center ramp is also apparently retained through expansion and contraction, as there are no screws holding it in place.

   But as neat as the center ramp is, the chain itself will really grab you. The links are all “800” silver. Each SS link has been stamped with the “800” hallmark on the reverse. In addition, the first link coming off of the scabbard top is SS proofed on the reverse with the Kulturzeichen. The links also appear slightly thicker than normal chain links. The SS Runes are beautifully rendered, being high off the surface and having outstanding pebbled backgrounds. The skull, though, is really macabre. This skull has a huge gleaming grin. The grin of his jaw goes up past his nose. Each and every one of his teeth is also invisible in the design and adds to the mystique. The pebbling behind the skull is also outstanding. The connectors also appear to be silver and at the clover leaf design, the connectors are the straight type that we see on the Type I chains. The clover leaf is a closed variety with a snap clip on the reverse. This clover leaf is also not only marked “800” on the reverse, it has the hallmark of a crescent and a Prussian crown. I cannot stress the outstanding quality throughout this chain. It is also interesting to note that where the connectors are positioned against the two clover leaf loops, the area has been squared beneath the connector so as to eliminate wear. On the standard clover leafs, this entire area is rounded. A lot of thought went into the production of this chain. I can only assume that this chain was officially adopted, but maybe only a few of them were utilized. As a matter of information, I also have a loose chain identical to this example in my own collection. The center ramp, though, is not with my chain. This is an opportunity to purchase an outstanding SS Dagger with a lot of interesting aspects. I just realized that I forgot to tell you about the blade, as I was so caught up with the chain! The blade is a fantastic example. It has all of its original factory brightness and other than the normal runner marks, is easily in full mint condition. This blade also has all factory crossgraining. The motto is nicely etched, being extremely crisp and having 100% of the original darkening in the backgrounds. The blade shoulders perfectly meet the lower crossguards contours of this unmarked mint blade. If there are folks out there who are collecting Chained SS Daggers by type, this one should fit very nicely into a collection of this caliber.

   $9,995.00

2. SSDAG #33247 Early Model 1933 SS EM Dagger SS 188/35 RZM

   This early SS EM Dagger, despite the fact that it is RZM marked, is of original production. The dagger is equipped with solid nickel crossguards and scabbard mounts all of which have a fine dull patination. The tang nut is in fine matching condition and does not appear to have been removed in modern times. These crossguards are exceptionally nice having very fine smooth surfaces, crisp edges and deep cut accent grooves. The lower reverse crossguard is district stamped Roman numeral, “I”. The fine ebony grip is a smooth to medium contour ridged type. The obverse grip is in complete perfect condition and the reverse would be also except for the fact that there appears to be a very small chip that may have been repositioned at some time or another. This “repair” was done a long time ago however. The grip shows some normal wear but not much. The runes button is nicely placed at about six thirty o’clock. The enamel surfaces are in perfect condition. The matching nickel grip eagle is the style with beak which points upward slightly. This bird has outstanding detail throughout his eye, breast feathering, wing feathering, legs, wreath and mobile swastika. This is an indication of the dagger’s little usage. A fine hilt here! The scabbard shell is straight throughout having excellent anodized surfaces. There is a little bit of age in the surfaces but not much. Overall this anodized surface is in near 100% condition reflecting some original lacquer still clinging around the areas protected by the mounts. The scabbard mounts are in perfect condition, the lower ball showing a little bit of carrying signs but no dents. The original screws are in place and are all unbuggered. The blade of this example is as nice as they come. It has all of the crossgraining present on the surfaces and other than normally seen in and out marks it is in mint condition. The SS motto is crisp and lightly etched on the blade’s surfaces. This fine motto has 100% of the factory darkening in the backgrounds. On the reverse ricasso the blade is matching etched with a double circle containing SS runes. Below this is the maker code and date of production, “188/35”. Below the numeral marking is a double open RZM circle. This dagger is identical to the example I show on page 20 of my SS book. The blade shoulders perfectly meet the lower crossguard contour. A fine early SS dagger here.

   Excellent Plus, Plus. $3,895.00

3. SSDAG #33246 Early Model 1936 Chained SS Dagger SS 120/34 RZM

   This Chained SS Dagger is an early production example which features a model 1933 dagger period installed in a 1936 scabbard. We see this quite frequently and it represents the original owner opting to purchase the scabbard only and retain his original dagger. I show a similar dagger having an early maker marked blade united with a model 1936 chained scabbard on page 148 of my SS book. The crossguards of this example are early solid nickel type. They have a fine patination across their surfaces and do not look to have been cleaned. The nickel tang nut shows traces of plier marks on the surfaces but they are not too bad. The surfaces of these crossguards are basically smooth showing some usage signs but no flaws. The edges are still quite crisp and the accent grooves are precise. The lower crossguard has the group mark stamping Roman numeral, “I”. The grip is a smooth contour type showing no repairs. This grip shows some wearing signs here and there but nothing that does not flow nicely with the dagger’s overall looks. The lower portion of the reverse grip has had the original owner’s initials carved into the surface looking to be, “BB”. The runes button is only slightly turned being at about six thirty o’clock. The SA runes button surfaces have intact enamel showing some usage signs but no chips. The grip eagle is the early nickel type having the beak which points upwards slightly. This bird still retains all details to his eye, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons, wreath and mobile swastika. The grip nicely fits the crossguards. The scabbard shell is nearly fully straight throughout the obverse surfaces having just the tiniest of a ding about halfway down the lower edge. The reverse has a couple of minor hits in the area between the center and upper mount where most likely the chain was improperly stored against the surface. The lower portion of the scabbard also has a small ding at the right of center. None of these dings are bad however and are commensurate with the overall wear of this dagger. The original scabbard paint is extremely nice. This paint is still bright throughout and rates at nearly 100% showing only minor signs of wear. The upper and lower scabbard mounts are also solid nickel having just a slight different lighter tone than the crossguards. Again, the original wearer’s model 33 dagger was used with this scabbard so this is not an unusual occurrence to see. These mounts are in excellent condition throughout, the lower ball being almost perfect. The mounts are retained by the original nickel screws which are unbuggered. The center ramp is the early nickel type with fine sharp edges. This ramp also has a pebbled background and in the center areas it features three intertwined swastikas on both sides. The darkening in the backgrounds is slightly worn and is maybe about 50%. Other than the amount of darkening on this ramp it is identical to the example I show on page 140 of my book. The center ramp is retained by a single matching screw on the left edge. The type II style nickel chain is a beauty. The two skull links on the lower chain are absolutely crisp and perfect. The single skull link on the upper chain shows just a little bit of wear to the teeth but this is normal hand wear and is to be expected. The SS rune links are still perfect throughout. These links all have about 95% of the original darkening in the backgrounds with nice pebbled surfaces. The first link on the upper chain is properly stamped with the SS Kulturzeichen marking. It is lightly stamped the same as the example shown on page 138. The cloverleaf connector is the solid type and it also has good blackening in the backgrounds. The snap clip is in good shape and looking inside I noticed that the original flat steel style spring has been replaced by a coil style spring which works well. These springs often came loose from their positioning during the period and we do see a lot of replacements for this part. There is also a fine belt loop accompanying this dagger. The loop has outstanding black leather which is line decorated on the edges and it is equipped with an aluminum pebbled “D” ring. A fine all nickel chain here. The blade of this dagger remains nice and bright and has nearly 100% of the original crossgraining. There is a little bit of age here and there but it is extremely nominal. This blade grades easily excellent plus to near mint condition. The SS motto is lightly etched and is very crisp. It has about 98% of its original background darkening. The blade is matching etched on the reverse ricasso with an SS runes within a circle over the code and year made, “120/34”, and beneath is a double open RZM circle. This code and markings are positoned to be read toward the tip of the dagger. This is opposite most blade maker markings but is consistent with this producer. You can see an identically marked blade in my SS book on page 197. The blade shoulders perfectly meet the crossguard contours. A really nice early SS dagger here that shows some wear of the period but no abuse. This is an outstanding original example that is reasonably priced.

   Excellent Plus. $7,495.00

4. SSDAG #33140C Late SS Model 1933 EM Dagger RZM M7/49/1203/38SS

   This late-made SS Dagger is a very nice example. The cross guards and tang nut are the nickel plated type. The plating on the obverse is in perfect condition throughout, showing no lifting and fine, bright areas. The reverse upper is also in nice condition with only minor freckling signs and on the lower example there are a little more signs of freckling, but not bad at all. The grip is a beauty, being of medium contour construction. This grip shows no repairs and shows almost no usage. It fits the cross guards like a glove. The SS runes button is the style that has a darkening in the backgrounds without enamel. The runes are raised out of the surfaces. This is a rarely seen runes button but is absolutely genuine. It is positioned in a north to south format. The grip eagle is a “point-behind-the-head” type. It shows good detail to the head, breast feathering, wing feathering, legs, wreath and mobile raised swastika. A very fine hit here! The scabbard shell is straight as an arrow throughout. It has outstanding original black paint. This paint still retains its factory brightness and other than a few extremely minor chips, is in near mint condition. It is rare to see nice paint like this. The matching scabbard mounts are nickel plated steel and they, too, have 100% of their finish and still have fine luster throughout. The lower ball has no denting but does have a couple of signs that it was touched on the surface. The scabbard throat is the thicker type that we see on political daggers beginning around the 1938 date. The screws are the dome head steel type and they do not have plating visible, but all are there and are untouched. The blade of this example is a real screamer. It has all of the original cross graining and is a fine, mirror bright finish. The SS motto is crisp to the etch and also has 100% of the background darkening. This blade is easily in full mint condition. The reverse ricasso is matching etched with a large double circle having a shaded area in the center. Positioned below are the two codes, one being the code for the Fredrich Herder firm, “M 7/49” and the other positioned below is probably the contract number for this run of SS daggers “1203/38ss”. This is not a commonly seen SS contract number. The blade shoulders perfectly fit the lower cross guard contour. There is a small amount of the tang clearance hole showing next to the blade on the cross guard. A very, very fine later made SS piece.

   Near Mint. $2,995.00 (#110111)

5. SSDAG #33122 Untouched Mid-Period Model 1936 Chained SS Dagger

   This Chained SS Dagger has never been in a collection and has not been cleaned. I recently purchased it from a Las Vegas pawn shop, where the proprietor told me that a veteran sold this piece to him along with another SS dagger which I also was able to purchase. This example has the Böker style plated cross guards. The plating is still quite good; however, it has not been cleaned so it is hard to tell for sure but I can definitely see that these cross guards have brightness beneath the patination. The tang nut is a later plated style also in good condition. The grip is a fine medium contour shaped ebony. This wood shows only nominal usage and has no problems anywhere and also no repairs. This fine grip absolutely fits the cross guards like a rubber glove. The SS runes button is the style which has a copper-like finish. The enamel is a fine, shiny black around the runes having no fractures in the surfaces. The grip eagle is one of the mid-period types, being the style with “point-behind-the-head” design. This eagle is showing some copper on the high spots but the recesses all still have the original nickeled finish. Usually, these plated eagles are down to the copper, so this is a good sign that this dagger has not been worn or handled very much. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. It is the style with an anodized finish and the anodizing is all there. There is a little bit of age on the surfaces, but it is only in the form of a few spots where the lacquer has been pierced. This lacquer appears to still be at least 95% throughout the shell. The scabbard mounts are the nickel plated steel type exactly matching the cross guards. These mounts still have excellent plating throughout and, although they have patination, I am sure they will clean up nicely. The mounts are in perfect condition to include the lower ball. They are retained by dome head screws throughout which are all unbuggered. The center ramp is the later style having the wider rolled edge. It features three raised out interlocking swastikas on both sides. Nearly all of the original blackening is in the backgrounds, giving this center mount a really good look. As we usually see on anodized scabbard types, this center mount is retained by two screws, one of the left edge and the other under the chain connection ramp. The chain is a Type 2 example, having all nickel links and connectors. Like the center ramp, the chain links have all of the blackening in the backgrounds. They really look great! The links feature the skull and crossbones with outstanding features and all of the teeth are visible and snarling at the viewer. The alternating links have fine raised SS runes. The connectors are all in place on this example and in good condition. The cloverleaf has matching patina, and testing it with a magnet I find that this cloverleaf is a nickel plated example, not solid. The same is true of the snap clip on the reverse. This is a case of transition here and not something that we normally would not see. The snap clip spring is in place and works well. The reverse of the chain has the Kulturzeichen proof stamping on the reverse. This stamping was deeply hit and almost dented the link. A very fine scabbard and chain assembly here. As we would hope, the blade is a beauty. This blade is nice and bright throughout and easily has 100% of the cross graining intact. The tip is needlelike and the SS motto is completely crisp, having 100% of the darkening in the backgrounds. Other than a couple of extremely minor signs of age, this mint blade is as nice as they come. The reverse ricasso is unmarked. The blade shoulders perfectly meet the lower cross guard contour. A very fine, untouched SS dagger here waiting for an appreciative owner. The next owner can elect to either clean this dagger or leave it as is. Either way, it is a great looking piece and it is rare to see one with all of the blackening in the ramp and the chain links. A good opportunity here for the right person.

   Excellent Plus, Plus. $7,995.00

6. SSDAG #32996 Early Model 1933 E.M. Dagger - Gottlieb Hammesfahr

   This early Model 1933 SS E.M. Dagger is in an uncleaned state and does not appear to have ever been apart. The nickel crossguards have developed an outstanding dull patination throughout. The tang nut is still crisp and does not appear to have had a wrench on it for many years. The crossguards have good smooth surfaces, crisp edges, and precise accent grooves. The lower reverse crossguard is district marked “III”. The grip is a fine example, being of medium-to-sharp ridge construction. This ebony grip has no repairs. It shows a little bit of usage throughout, but nothing extreme and no gauges or chips. There is a tiny slither which has lifted on the wood surface at the lower right front area, but it is nothing. This fine grip has an excellent runes button which is perfectly placed at 12 o’clock. The enamel surfaces show a few taps from usage, but there are no chips or problems. The matching nickel grip eagle is the style with “point-behind-the-head”. This bird has all details available to the head, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons, wreath, and mobile swastika. A nice hilt here. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This shell has a painted black surface which must have been done quite a while ago, as the paint does not look new. This paint job was well done and is possibly period. There would have surely been an anodized scabbard originally. The scabbard mounts are matching nickel. These mounts are in choice condition, to include the lower ball. The mounts are retained by the original nickel screws, and the grooves are not buggered. There is a pre-RZM style vertical hanger attached. This hanger does have the coffin style shape with a conventional type belt and buckle with hasp. The snap clip is the larger “dog leash” style. Prior to standardization, we do see a multitude of different vertical hangers produced during the period. This one is still in good supple condition and looks quite well on the dagger. The blade of this example is still nice and bright, and it retains nearly all of its original crossgraining with good needle tip. This blade has some in-and-out wear, but easily grades in near full mint condition. The blade is crisp etched and deep. The SS motto has nearly all of the original factory darkening in the backgrounds. A very fine blade here! The reverse ricasso is matching etched with double ovals. These ovals trap the firm’s name and location, “Gottlieb Hammesfahr, Solingen – Foche”. Inside is the pyramid with the “plus” sign on the front surface. The blade shoulders perfectly meet the lower crossguard contours. A very fine early SS dagger here, which other than the repainted scabbard, is in outstanding original condition.

   Excellent Plus, Plus. $4,295.00

7. SSDAG #32881C Early SS E.M. Ground Röhm Dagger - Böker

   This Early SS Dagger is in an uncleaned state and does not appear to have ever been apart. There are no signs of a wrench on the nickel tang nut that exactly matches the patination of the crossguards. These mounts have a fine appealing finish with good crisp edges, smooth surfaces, and precise accent grooves. The lower reverse crossguard is district marked “I”. The black ebony grip shows no repairs and is in nice condition, showing normal usage signs. The SS runes button is nicely placed, being positioned at about 7 o’clock. This runes button is the more convex style. It has some minor hits to the enamel surfaces, but no chips or problems. The matching nickel grip eagle is the “high necked” variety. This eagle shows a little wear, having full details readily visible to the bird’s head, breast feathering, wing feathering, legs, wreath, and mobile swastika. This is a nice hilt. The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This shell has fairly good anodizing which still covers at 100% on the reverse, and on the obverse is starting to thin slightly, mostly at the upper area. The obverse scabbard has approximately 85% of the original anodized surface remaining. This scabbard, though, still looks good. The shell is equipped with matching nickel mounts. The lower mount has a small hit to the center bottom of the lower ball but it really does not show from straight on and there is no other damage. Other than this, these matching nickel mounts are in outstanding condition. The original screws are in place and are all unturned. The obverse blade of this example is still mostly bright. There is a little bit of smudge that can be picked up on the upper portion of the blade obverse but it is not bad. The SS motto is crisp and has more of a frosted background than it does a black background. It is also possible to see some minor “pimpling” in the surfaces which we often see on Böker daggers. The obverse of this blade easily grades excellent plus plus. The reverse blade has had a full grind with a stone and no attempt to clean it up. It is possible to still see a little bit of the tops and bottoms of the original Röhm inscription. This is an interesting blade for those out there that like to see evidence of the removal of the “traders” inscription. It always seems odd to me that a perfectly nice blade would be ground up like this with no attempt to restore the polish or the graining but I guess you had to live during the times and certainly some craftsman were not as skilled as others and the main thing was the owner had to get the inscription removed as soon as possible or I am sure he would have been in trouble. Nevertheless, These ground blades are what we see quite a bit today. The small style trademark is still mostly intact with minor grinding to the left top area. The small trademark was the one that was used with Röhm inscriptions in order to make the presentment more balanced. This trademark consists of two small double ovals which trap the firm’s name and location “Böker Solingen”. Inside is the leafless stark tree logo. The blade shoulders perfectly fit the lower cross guard contour. It is also interesting to note that the lower cross guard surfaces that were sealed by the scabbard throat still have a good shine to their surfaces. A nice dagger here if you are looking for a Röhm to add to your collection.

   Excellent Plus. $3,995.00

8. SSDAG #32906 Early SS Model 1933 EM Dagger – Robert Klaas

   This early SS Enlisted Man’s Dagger has not been cleaned or touched and is in “as-found” condition. The nickel mounts have turned a deep dull yellow color. They still look to be in good condition beneath the patination though, having good smooth surfaces, crisp edges and precise accent grooves. Studying the matching tang, it is easy to see that no one has ever taken this dagger apart. The lower reverse cross guard is District marked “III”. It is interesting to note that the numeral is stamped sideways. The grip is a fine example, being of medium contour construction. This grip remains in virtually perfect condition, showing only normal usage. The ebony has no repairs anywhere and is really nice. The SS runes button is a copper colored type and it is turned to about 7:00. The enamel finish shows some scratches and usage signs but there are no breaks in the surfaces. The matching deep yellowed eagle is a “high-necked” variety still having excellent detail to the bird’s head, breast feathering, wing feathering, legs, wreath and mobile swastika. A fine, untouched hilt here! The scabbard shell is straight throughout. It seems to have most of its anodized surface still there but there is also a coating of age and rust staining so it is really difficult to grade the true condition of this scabbard. It does not look too bad though and perhaps a little rubbing with an oily rag will bring what is left of it back to the viewer. The scabbard mounts are exactly matching the deep patination of the hilt. These mounts are in good condition throughout to include the lower ball. This ball has a couple of wearing signs but no dings or problems. The original unturned nickel screws are also in place. The blade of this dagger is still fairly bright but it does have some age and smudge spread around the surfaces. Looking through the smudge though, it is possible to see that most of the original graining is still there. This blade grades at about excellent but I am sure that with a little work and some semichrome, this blade would come up a lot better. The SS motto is crisp and deep and appears to still have 99% of its original darkening in the backgrounds. The reverse ricasso is matching etched with the twin cranes logo. Around the cranes in a circle is the firm’s name “Robert Klass” and its location “Solingen”. The blade shoulders perfectly fit the lower cross guard contour. The area beneath the cross guard that was sealed by the throat is still quite bright. A nice dagger here for someone who likes untouched items. There is no reason to clean this dagger, as I kind of like the way it looks just as it is. If it were cleaned though, it would probably look nicer to the uninitiated but the real SS lovers out there would have to smile at the looks of this overall patination. This dagger comes from a recent “motel buy.”

   Excellent. $2,495.00 (#102511)

9. SSDAG #32447 Early Reissued SS EM Dagger RZM M941/36SS - Carl Eickhorn

   This early Carl Eickhorn SS dagger is an extremely interesting example. It is in an untouched state and has not been cleaned since the war nor has it been taken apart. The fittings throughout this dagger are a solid nickel variety. They have a fine, dull patination throughout with a yellow slightly greenish look to them. This is the look that many SS collectors really enjoy when adding the piece to their collection. The cross guards appear to me to be the “ar” type rather than the “he” variety. I believe this because of the shape of the lower cross guard plus the fact that other known examples of this vintage also have “a.r.” cross guards. Studying the tang nut, it is easy to see that this dagger has never been apart. The tang nut and cross guards have fine, smooth surfaces with good, crisp edges. The accent grooves are the deep hand-cut type we normally see used with this producer. There are not district markings on the reverse of this dagger but it does have the inspector number “4” beneath the cross guard. The grip of this dagger is a fine ebony. It shows quite a bit of usage but there are no bad chips or any problems. There is a slight lifting of the edge at the upper obverse area, also at the upper reverse area and a little bit at the lower area on the reverse. These are very minor flaws though, and are the kind of thing that most SS collectors can easily accept as they are caused by the grip being slightly larger in girth than the cross guards, leaving a small portion of the wood unprotected. Over time, these minor lifts occur. The grip is a medium to sharp contour variety. There are no repairs anywhere on the grip and it nicely fits the cross guards. Eickhorn grips never seem to fit perfectly but they are certainly workman-like. The SS runes button is in choice condition throughout, having perfect enameled surfaces. The runes are turned to about 7:00 and they have the same green tinge to them, matching the rest of the fittings. The same is true of the nickel grip eagle. This green coated eagle is the “high-necked” version. It has full detail remaining to the bird’s eye, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons, wreath and mobile swastika. A really great hilt here if you like untouched, un-cleaned examples. The scabbard is a fine metal shell showing some carrying signs in the form of a couple of small dings on the obverse and a minor one on the reverse. Overall though, the scabbard is still in very fine condition as it has all of its anodizing and a lot of the original lacquer still remaining. I would say that the lacquer is about 60% - 70%. A very nice scabbard shell here. The matching scabbard mounts are solid nickel and they are both in fine condition to include the lower ball. The original screws are all in place and are unturned. I think that studying this dagger it probably had a vertically hanger at one time, but currently it has a black leather short hanger on it. This short hanger shows some age to the leather and I did put some polish on it to try to brighten it up and soften it a little bit. It is complete with the early solid nickel hardware having the long snout style unmarked snap clip. The most interesting part about this dagger, though, has to be the beautiful blade. Other than the normal runner marks, this blade is in mint condition. It has complete full graining throughout along with a needlelike tip. The SS motto is very crisp and has 100% of the original blackening in the backgrounds. Turning the blade over, it has an outstanding fine matching mint finish. The early 1933-35 large oval trademark is etched into the reverse. This trademark traps the firm’s name and location “Carl Eickhorn Solingen”. Inside is a squirrel with serrated tail having the firm’s initials beneath him “ce”. The interesting part is that below this trademark there is an open RZM etching atop the Eickhorn code “941/36/SS”. What we have here is an original Roehm SS that was sent back to the Eickhorn factory to have the inscription taken off. Rather than waste the blade and the dagger, the Eickhorn firm did the proper grinding and refinishing, making a once again useful SS dagger. With the RZM coming into play, the firm decided to reissue these daggers in 1936 and applied the RZM code per requirements beneath the original early Eickhorn code. Naturally, the Eickhorn firm, being frugal, saw no reason not to redo these daggers and reissue them accordingly. There is an identical specimen that I show on Page 167 of my SS book. The trademark initials and even the cross guards are identical to this particular dagger. This is a great piece in very fine condition. This piece will make an outstanding addition to an interesting SS collection. I highly recommend this example for the sophisticated, advanced SS collector. It is untouched, un-cleaned and in fine condition.

   Untouched Excellent Plus Plus. $5,495.00

10. SSDAG #32291C Model 1933 Early SS Enlisted Man's Dagger – A. Schüttlehöfer

    This Schüttlehöfer SS EM dagger was most likely produced about 1935. As SS collectors all ready know the Schüttlehöfer maker mark is extremely difficult to find and is very desirable. This dagger is in an untouched state and does not appear to have ever been taken down or cleaned. The fittings are all nickel throughout and all have developed a nice even dull patination. The crossguards have good smooth surfaces throughout with still crisp edges. There is no group marking on the reverse of this dagger as it was probably made after the initial thrust of SS daggers was satisfied. The tang nut nicely matches and is untouched. The grip of this example is a fine ebony. There are no repairs or any flaws in the grip. It is a fine piece of ebony having medium contour construction. The SS runes button is turned to about seven o’clock. There are a couple of minor hits to the enamel the largest one being to the right of the upper portion of the second rune. The nickel grip eagle is the style with beak which points upward slightly. All the details are fully visible on this eagle as it shows little to no wear. The eye, beak, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons, wreath and mobile swastika all look crisp. This grip fits the crossguards like a rubber glove. A very fine hilt here. The scabbard shell is straight as an arrow. It has period black paint having quite a bit of age and chipping but overall the paint still looks fairly good having its original sheen still there and the areas where there are chips and age have long since patinated. This shell looks pretty good yet having about 80-85% original paint. The upper and lower nickel mounts exactly match the tones of the hilt fittings. The lower ball is in excellent condition showing only the most nominal of usage but no dents or problems. These mounts are retained by the four original nickel screws all of which are unturned. The blade of this example is still nice and bright having typical in and out markings but very little age. The blade rates at least at excellent plus still retaining its needlelike tip. The SS motto is crisp and has about 95% of the original darkening. Quite a bit of the original graining also is on the blade surfaces being at least 85-90%. The same features are true on the reverse blade. The reverse ricasso is etched with the unique trademark of this firm. It consists of an oval circle which is slightly filled in in the center. Around the inside perimeter of the ovals is the name and location of the company, “A. Schüttlehöfer & Co. Solingen-Wald”. The inside area has the etching of the twin hobby horses which are positioned over the shortened name of the company, “Asso”. The blade shoulders perfectly meet the lower crossguard contour. An outstanding dagger here for the ardent SS collector or for those who are collecting SS maker marks and “types”. I have not offered a Schüttlehöfer in a number of years. I show a similar dagger in my SS book on page 21, upper.

    Excellent Plus. $4,495.00

11. SSDAG #32140 Model 1936 Chained SS Dagger

    This Model 1936 Chained SS Dagger is a mid-period piece probably produced about 1938. The crossguards and tang nut are the nickel-plated type. These guards show a little bit of normal usage across their surfaces but luckily all the plating is still there and the surfaces are bright. Good looking plated guards here. The tang nut is also in good condition although it does show that it has been taken down a couple of times. There are no bad burrs on it however. The grip is a very fine ebony example. This grip has some fine graining to be seen in the surfaces. We do not see this a lot in ebony wood so it is a rare sight and should be appreciated. This grip is in perfect condition throughout showing only nominal usage signs and being constructed with middle to high ridge proportion. The grip nicely fits the plated crossguards. The SS runes button is a beauty. It is positioned exactly north to south and has no hits or any damage whatsoever to the enamel. The nickel grip eagle is also in fine condition. This bird is the style with beak that points upward and all details are there to the head, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons, wreath and mobile swastika. A fine hilt here! The scabbard has a fine straight shell. This shell reflects outstanding original black paint. There are only a couple of carrying signs on this paint and amazingly it has held up to be at about a 99% rating. This is quite rare to see. The scabbard is fit with matching nickel-plated mounts. The plating to these mounts is also excellent still having its factory brightness. The upper mount is the later style having the lower edges that flare outward. The lower mount is in fine condition having no drop signs but yet a tiny split at the bottom. No big deal here. The center mount is the later variety having wider creases to the edges. This center ramp portrays three intertwined raised swastikas on each side. It does have a pebbled background but it is the style that never had blackening in the backgrounds. This ramp is retained by one dome head screw which matches all of the other dome head screws which are still in place and are unbuggered. The chain assembly is the type II variety. It is of nickel plating and has excellent detail throughout. The links are the style which are not blackened but the pebbling in the backgrounds adds a lot to the relief. The skulls are in perfect condition throughout all having leering smiles with lots of dental work showing. The SS rune links are high off the surface and crisp. The two chains are connected to a closed style clover leaf which has a good working snap clip on the reverse. This chain still has excellent plated surfaces with no rust problems. The upper first link with the runes symbols is stamped on the back with the SS Kulturzeichen. All of the connecting tabs are in good condition throughout with no real separations. Attached to the snap clip is the original belt loop. This loop is a fine black leather having a “D” ring fashioned of pebbled aluminum. The blade of this example is also a fine one. It has a couple of age spots noticeable at the bottom obverse and a few more on the reverse but they are not bad at all. This blade is in a near mint state having all of its original graining and a good crisp SS motto. The motto has about 95% of the original background darkening. This blade has a good needlelike tip and also features a fairly high center ridge. This style center ridge is common on pieces made around this vintage. The original crossgraining is absolutely all there and this blade grades easily in a near mint state. The shoulders perfectly meet the lower crossguard contours. Accompanying this dagger is the original “bring back” paper. This certificate is dated 1 May 1945 and was issued to “T/Sgt L.W.Iliff 35171297”. The certificate goes on to say that the “captured enemy military equipment exceeds any training, service or salvage value, etc.” Separately listed at the bottom is, “1-16 gauge shotgun / 1-SS knife”. The “bring back” certificate is signed by the captain of the 44th quartermaster company. I would think with this information it would be possible to trace this sergeant’s career during World War II. I did not purchase this item directly from the family but I did purchase it from a dealer who got it from the family along with this certificate. A very nice SS chained dagger here priced fairly reasonably given its condition.

    Near Mint. $7,995.00

12. SSDAG #31865 Transitional SS Enlisted Man's Dagger RZM 1211/38 SS - E. Pack

    This SS example is a transitional piece having a mix of nickel-plated parts and solid nickel parts. The hilt section is of solid nickel. These crossguards are in excellent condition with good smooth surfaces, crisp edges and fine precise accent grooves. The tang nut is also in nice condition showing only a couple of take downs. The reverse lower crossguard does not have a district stamping as this dagger was produced well after this time period. The grip is a very fine substantial ebony wood. It is of medium contour construction and has no repairs. This grip has a nice bulk to the center area. The grip has a tiny surface sliver missing on the reverse upper right but we would hardly call this a chip. Other than this the grip is in near perfect condition showing little usage. The SS runes button is nicely positioned being turned to about 7:30 o’clock. The surfaces of this button are undamaged. The nickel grip eagle is the style with beak pointing upwards slightly. It has mild wear to the head and breast feathering but the details are still there. The wing feathering, talons, wreath and raised swastika are still crisp. This grip nicely fits the crossguards. A good hilt here! The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This shell has received a fine factory black paint job. The paint is still in near perfect condition and rates nearly mint. It is possible to see that this was one of the paint jobs where the metal was prepared by sanding the surfaces horizontally across the length. This eliminated the priming step. Apparently it worked well as this paint is still all there. The upper mount is a nickel-plated type still showing good brightness. The lower mount is a solid nickel type and it is in good condition having just a couple of small taps to the lower ball. The original screws are in place and are unbuggered. There is a fine vertical hanger attached to this scabbard. This vertical has outstanding leather having the coffin shaped reverse. The small leather strap and square nickel-plated buckle are also in excellent condition. The snap clip is the nickel-plated style stamped with the large “A” and “DRGM” on the reverse. The obverse plating has worn and turned to rust on this clip whereas the reverse plating is still all there. The blade on this example is extremely nice. It is still bright and has most of the original crossgraining in the surfaces. Other than in and out wear the blade is still in a near mint state. The SS motto is light but crisp etched and has about 95% of the original darkening in the backgrounds. This near mint conditioned blade is matching etched on the reverse ricasso. The etching has the code for this SS producer, “1211/38”, which is the code used by E. Pack. The “38” is thought to have been the date of manufacture. Above the code is a double open RZM circle and below is a double open circle around a set of SS runes. The blade shoulders perfectly meet the lower crossguard contours.

    Excellent Plus, Plus. $3,395.00(#040611)

13. SSDAG #31612C Mid-Period Model 1936 SS Chained SS Dagger

    This SS Chained Dagger shows some general overall usage but it also speaks of its experience during the war. It is complete with what appears to be its original portepee so no doubt this piece was worn by a Waffen-SS officer. The crossguards are the plated type over a zinc base. The upper guard is in fairly good condition showing a little bit of age in the surfaces but the plating is still all there. The tang nut above is nice and crisp and shows no sign of being out. The lower crossguard reflects the same plating brightness but does show a little bit of wear through on the reverse as well as the right side of the obverse. This wear would all be attributable to the wearer’s hand. The grip is in excellent condition. There are no breaks or chips in the grip and it appears to be in perfect condition. This grip is of medium contour construction. The SS runes button is the copper type with convex surface. It is in excellent condition with no hits. The grip eagle is an aluminum style with high-neck bird. All details are there to the bird. The original portepee has one loop at the top of the grip and two at the bottom. The knot is set in place and there is just a little bit of wear to the upper loop and also to the cord at this point. Otherwise the portepee is still in good condition. The scabbard is straight throughout. The scabbard reflects an excellent anodized finish. The anodizing is all there and there is only the most modest of age in the surfaces. The scabbard mounts are the nickel-plated type and are the later style that we see. The later style fittings have the flared out points at the bottom of the upper fitting, the same as page 146, as well as the center ramp with flatter edges being the same as page 141 of my SS book. The lower scabbard mount is in perfect condition to include the ball. These mounts are all retained by domehead steel screws which are unbuggered. The center ramp of course has the three intertwined raised swastikas on each side. The chain is a nickel-plated type II example. It has excellent detail to the skull and bones links as well as the SS rune links. The backgrounds have crisp pebbling. They match that of the center ramp. All of the connectors are in place and none are open. The cloverleaf is the closed style that we see with this chained type. The reverse of the first link of the upper chain is stamped with the SS kulturzeichen. The unmarked blade of this example shows just the slightest bit of graying but it does seem to have most of its crossgraining still showing. This blade also has a little bit of smudge on the surfaces but it grades at about excellent to excellent plus. The SS motto is crisp and has about 90% of the original darkening. The blade shoulders nicely fit the lower crossguard contour. A fine basic SS chained dagger here that shows moderate usage throughout. Not a mint dagger here but its all there and very collectible and priced accordingly.

    Excellent. $6,495.00

14. SSDAG #31631C Mid-period Model 1936 SS Chained

    This SS chained dagger is typical of the mid-period of about late 1937 or 38. The dagger does not appear to have ever been cleaned and has a pretty good patination over all of the mounts. The crossguards are the nickel-plated type and they still have excellent plating which appears to be in fine condition beneath the patination. These guards have good smooth surfaces and precise accent grooves. The grip had a couple of chips at the upper portion as well as on the lower and we fixed the worst ones. They came out pretty good and if you did not know we repaired them you would probably not notice it. The rest of the grip is in good condition being an ebony wood. These grips which were made during this period though are extremely brittle and we often see chips in them. The grip is a medium contour constructed type and it fits the crossguards adequately. The runes button is one of the copper types and it is turned to about seven o’clock. The enamel has some taps but I don’t see any missing material. The eagle is a nickel variety and it is the style with beak which points upward slightly. This bird still has good detail to his eye, beak, breast, wing feathering, talons, wreath and mobile swastika. Attached to the grip is what appears to be the original aluminum portepee. This portepee has a single loop at the top and a nice looking double loop at the bottom. There is a minor fray on one cord where the cord comes out of the tie but other than that the knot is in pretty good shape. The scabbard of this example is straight throughout with the exception of one tiny bb dent just below the center ramp on the obverse. The anodizing itself appears to all be there but it does have just a little bit of age in the surfaces. A lot of this would probably clean out if someone wanted to bother with it. The scabbard mounts are also nickel-plated nicely matching the crossguards as far as the patination goes. These mounts still appear to have their original brightness beneath the patination. They are in excellent condition to include the lower ball. The original domehead style screws are all in place and are not buggered. The center ramp is the style with the later larger edges. This fitting features three raised intertwined swastikas on each side. There is no blackening in the background as it was not done on this type of plated chain. The chain assembly itself is a type two. It also is completely patinated having a dull finish exactly matching the rest of the dagger. The chain links are extremely crisp featuring the skull and crossbone links with all teeth being sharp and clear. The SS runes links are also nicely struck. These links all have good pebbling in the backgrounds but again it is not blackened. The reverse of the first SS runes link is stamped on the reverse with the SS kulturzeichen. The cloverleaf snap clip is the closed style that we normally see with this type chain. All of the connectors are in good condition and they are all closed. A nice untouched uncleaned outside here. Taking the blade out of the scabbard the viewer is in for a treat. This blade is still nice and bright and has all of its crossgraining. Other than in and out markings this blade is in mint condition. The SS motto is very crisp and has all of the original blackening in the backgrounds. This unmarked blade has perfect positioning of its shoulders against the crossguard contours. There is a slight amount of the original box clearance hole showing but this is normal for this vintage dagger. A good strong mid-period example here.

    Excellent Plus. $7,995.00

15. SSDAG #31611C Early Model 1936 Chained SS Dagger

    This Model 36 SS is in an untouched state. The dagger has never been apart nor does it look to have been cleaned. The mounts have an even dull patination throughout to even include the chain. If you like an untouched example, this one will be for you. The cross guards are crisp throughout, with good smooth surfaces and very precise accent grooves. These guards show little usage and have much appeal. The matching tang nut shows no signs of being turned. This ebony grip is constructed with a smooth style having little center ridge. This grip shows a few signs of being around, but overall it is in excellent condition with no repairs or problems. There is a tiny slither missing at the edge of the lower right but other than that, all wood is present. The SS runes button is a fine example, being only turned slightly. The enamel surfaces are still shiny and perfect. The nickel grip eagle has the same patination and this is the style bird with “beak that points upward slightly”. This bird has full detail to his eye, beak, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons, wreath and mobile swastika. This eagle virtually shows no wear at all. There are a couple of tiny flaws in the wood beneath the eagle but this is just how things go and the eagle has not been replaced. The hilt is decorated with a fine aluminum portepee. This portepee is tied in a single upper loop and a double lower loop. The portepee shows no wear and has a nylon style slide and stem having “v” weave decorations. A good looking hilt here! The scabbard shell is straight throughout. This shell has original black paint. The paint has a slight amount of overspray in it, but it is still original. There are a few very minor chips and a little bit of wear along the edges, but overall this original paint rates at about 95%. The scabbard mounts are the plated type and they exactly match the nickel cross guards as the patination is the same. These plated mounts, to include the center ramp, are in excellent condition. The lower ball is perfect. It is interesting to note that the throat of this example is nickel and also exactly matches the cross guards. These scabbard mounts are retained by nickel screws and all are accounted for. The chain assembly is the Type 1. All Type 1 chain assemblies that I have dealt with over the years have been nickel plated, not solid nickel. Since the hardware producer also sold the upper ramp and the center scabbard ramp, these fittings will also be plated since they were part and parcel of the chain. The center ramp has the three intertwined swastikas on each side and it has good pebbling in the backgrounds. The edges have the thicker style roll. The Type 1 chain assembly is a real beauty. It features fantastic depth to the skull and bones strike as well as the SS runes strike to the respective links. The pebbled backgrounds are also still all there. These links have perfect connectors. The cloverleaf is the style that is open on the top and you can see the “DRGM” stamped on the lower snap clip mount. The reverse of the first link on the upper chain is deeply stamped with the SS code. This chain appears to be still in near mint condition beneath the patination. It is really great to see a chained SS like this that has all aged exactly together. As we would hope, the unmarked blade on this example is a real beauty. It still retains its factory brightness and has nearly all of the cross graining. Other than the normal runner marks, this blade is in mint condition. The SS motto is nicely etched with crisp edges. It has all of the frosted style background that was put in originally. The blade shoulders of this fine blade perfectly meet the lower cross guard contour. An exceptional chained SS dagger here having many of the attributes we all admire. A good, investment quality piece.

    Excellent Plus Plus. $8,995.00

16. SSDAG #31130C Early Model 1933 SS Dagger - Gottlieb Hammesfahr

    This dagger is equipped with a very fine early vertical hanger. This vertical hanger has excellent leather and still retains its original black color. It is equipped with a square style nickel plated buckle and the snap clip is a matching solid nickel type which is marked on the reverse with a “A” and “drgm”. A file vertical here. The blade of this dagger is to kill for. It is completely bright and easily has 100% of its original cross graining. Other than the usual runner marks, this blade is in full mint condition. The SS motto is extremely crisp and deep and has 100% of its original factory darkening. The reverse blade is in the same fine condition and it displays the double ovals of this producer. These ovals trap the firm’s name and location “Gottlieb Hammesfahr Solingen – Fosche”. Inside is the pyramid with the “+” sign on the side that faces the viewer. The blade shoulders perfectly meet the lower cross guard contour. An exceptional SS dagger here and if you are a blade freak, you will really enjoy owning this example.

    Near Mint. $4,895.00

17. SSDAG #31098C SS Partial Röhm Dagger - Richard Abr. Herder

    This early SS Röhm dagger has been recently cleaned. It has all nickel fittings throughout and the cross guards are the usual “P.A.” internally marked types that we usually see with Herder daggers. The tang nut has a few scars from someone using a set of pliers a long time ago. The cross guards themselves, though, are nice and smooth and have no problems. They have good, crisp edges and precise accent grooves. The lower reverse cross guard is district marked Roman numeral “I”. The grip is the typical Herder type, being slightly slimmer than most and having a lower positioned eagle. This grip is in perfect condition, showing only the most modest of wear. There are no repairs or problems anywhere on this grip. The SS runes button is slightly turned to about 7:00. There is just a little bit of copper showing around the center of the runes button which obviously was the base flash coat before silver plating. The enamel finish to the button is in perfect condition. The grip eagle is the nickel type, being a “high-necked” variety. All details are available to the bird to include the beak, eye, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons, wreath and raised swastika. The scabbard of this example is nice and straight. The finish, however, appears to have been re-blued. The color is close to the original but the sheen to the surfaces is slightly brighter than the original type. It does not look bad, however. There are a couple of pit marks on the reverse of this scabbard whereas the obverse has only one minor flaw, being near the right edge about two-thirds down. The rest of the scabbard, though, is in nice condition. The scabbard is equipped with matching nickel mounts. These mounts are in excellent condition to include the lower ball. The original screws are in place and are unbuggered. There is a short hanger attached which appears to have a repair in the leather but it has been very successfully done and really does not show. This short hanger is equipped with the small loop. The short hanger mounts are nickel, being an oval buckle and snap clip marked with “a” and “drgm” on the reverse. The blade of this example is still fairly bright but it does have some smudge that is evenly spread throughout the surfaces. The smudge, though, is very light and although visible, is not bad at all. This blade still grades at at least excellent. The SS motto is nice and deep and has about 90% of the original darkening in the backgrounds. On the reverse blade, the same smudge is evident. There is a fine Röhm inscription which is completely intact on the reverse and the Röhm signature has been ground. The job of grinding it was done in some haste, as it is still possible to see traces of the signature as well as total evidence of the original umlot which was over the “o” in the last name. The blackening in the backgrounds of the inscriptions is all there. The maker’s mark is a double oval. It traps the firm’s name and location “Rich. Abr. Herder” along with their location of “Solingen”. The diamond is in the center of the blade. The blade shoulders nicely fit the lower cross guard contour with just the slightest of opening on one side but it is not something that would be past the general specifications of these pieces. An interesting dagger here with a blade that would be very difficult to find today. SS Röhms were only produced in quantities of under 10,000 and very few escaped the total grinding process. A nice dagger to add to an SS collection.

    Excellent Plus. $6,495.00

18. SSDAG #31090 Early Model 1936 Chained Officer Dagger

    This is an extremely nice Chained SS dagger, being of the initial 1936 run. This dagger has solid nickel fittings throughout. The tang and crossguards are in choice condition, having crisp edges, smooth surfaces, and the crossguards have good deep accent grooves. These guards appear as though they were cleaned not too long ago, and they really look the best. The ebony grip is also a fine example. This grip shows a little bit of normal usage, but there are no splits, cracks, or chips. The grip has never had any repairs or any problems, and it perfectly fits the crossguards like a rubber glove. This grip, on the reverse, has the typical impressions caused by the chains when the dagger was taken off and laid down. The SS runes button is perfectly straight, having one minor hit just to the left of the left runes, but it is extremely minor and not noticeable. This button is well placed and is straight up and down. The nickel grip eagle is the style with beak-which-points-upward slightly. This bird still has full detail to his eyes, beak, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons, wreath, and raised swastika. This is an indication that the dagger has not been over-used. A fine SS hit here! The scabbard of this example is straight throughout the obverse, and on the reverse it has just a tiny “ding” below the center ramp, but it is really nothing. The original paint is all there, rating at near 100%. It does have some substantial spidering, though, that is in all four upper and lower sections. This spidering, though, assures even a novice that this is not a new paint job and that this paint has withstood the rigors of the SS after 1936 and on through World War II. This paint still has lots of life to it and has a good sheen. The scabbard is equipped with matching nickel mounts. These mounts are in excellent condition, showing commensurate usage with the rest of the dagger. The lower ball has never been dropped. These mounts are retained by the original nickel screws, which are unturned. The center ramp is a real dandy, having the very crisp edges of the Early Type Two nickel chains. This center ramp looks nearly identical to the example I show on page 140 of my SS Book. Even the paint looks a lot like the example shown. This ramp has 100% of the original darkening in the backgrounds behind the intertwined three swastikas raised out on each side. This beautiful ramp is retained by a single nickel screw that is unturned. The chain itself also has this very black color. In fact, the chain looks identical to the example show on page 135. Each of the links has outstanding detail. The skulls are a great strike, having all of the smiling teeth and lots of detail to the bones. The links with the raised-out runes are spectacular. Each of these links has 100% of the darkening in the backgrounds. These links are connected with matching nickel tabs. All of the tabs are closed. The tabs at the top of the chain which connect to the cloverleaf are the style which are beveled. The novice can tell a Type Two chain at first glance by knowing that the top tabs are beveled, as on the Type One chain they are not. This chain is connected to a matching cloverleaf which is the closed variety we see on Type Two chains. As is often the case, the spring is missing from the snap clip, but this can be easily repaired. I understand from Rex Reddick that he is securing some reproduction “V” springs which will be adaptable to this often found flaw. I have no problem with a reproduction spring, and anyone that does, please do not buy this dagger from me. The reverse link of the first upper chain is lightly stamped with the SS Kulturzeichen. The stamping is identical to the example shown on page 138. The reverse of the chain has the same desirable patination as does the obverse. A really great outside here. Not a mint dagger, but one that you can really get the feeling of what these daggers must have looked like when they were worn during the period. If there was anything that you did not like about the outside of this dagger, I’m sure that this beautiful mint blade will make up for it. This unmarked blade absolutely has a mirror finish and 100% of its original crossgraining in the surfaces. What a wonderful sight! The SS motto, “Meine Ehre heisst Treue”, is the shallow etched variety, but is also extremely crisp. This motto has 100% of the darkening behind it. It is very rare to see a chained SS blade that is not only mint, but has such a great looking motto. The shoulders of the blade perfectly meet the lower crossguard contours. If you are looking for a total picture in a book to compare this dagger with, I would say that it is fair to compare the dagger completely with the one that is shown in color on page 154 of my SS book. If you are looking for a real beauty to buy, as not only a great investment, but something you can look at and enjoy year-after-year as your original investment continues to grow. A very fine example here, and the type of dagger everyone seems to want.

    $10,500.00

19. SSDAG #30173 Mid-Period Model 1933 SS Dagger (RZM 941/37SS) - Carl Eickhorn

    This Transitional SS Dagger is very similar to the examples that I show on pages 168 and 169 of my SS book. This Eickhorn piece still has full nickel mounts throughout, to include the crossguards, tang nut, and scabbard fittings. The crossguards are the types that are marked “AR” inside. They are slightly thinner, and the lower guard is a little straighter than the normally seen “HE” types, which were made by Eickhorn in-house. These guards have mellowed to a nice dull nickel patina, to include the tang nut. They still have smooth surfaces, crisp edges, and the accent grooves are quite deeply cut. There is no district marking on the reverse of the crossguard. The grip of this example is a smooth contour type. The wood has no chips or repairs, but it does show some age and usage here and there. This grip has also warped at the top area above the center eagle. The warping has caused the grip to turn slightly backward to the left, pushing out the right side of the upper guard slightly. You really don’t notice it from straight on, but when the dagger is turned to the side, the left crossguard end is over further than the lower crossguard left end. I have seen this anomaly before and, apparently, it results from Eickhorn not drying their wood as carefully as some of the other producers. This type of thing can also account for gaps between the crossguards and the grip, but on this example the crossguards fit perfectly. An interesting development here. The runes button is the convex variety and it does have some “tapping” on the enamel surfaces, but it is confined to mostly the right edge area. The grip eagle is a nickel type, and it is the style with beak-which-points-upward-slightly. This bird shows some mild wear, but the details are still there to the head, beak, breast feathering, wing feathering, legs, wreath, and mobile swastika. An interesting hilt here! The scabbard shell is straight throughout the obverse. The reverse has just a very tiny “ding” at about the center point. This anodizing is still all there, having a little bit of age in the surfaces of both sides, but it is not bad. This scabbard shell certainly rates at excellent plus. The scabbard mounts are the nickel type used by Eickhorn, which also are slightly more yellow than the crossguards. We see this a lot on Himmler as well as Roehm daggers. The scabbard mounts are in fairly good shape, the lower ball having a “hit” which has pushed it upward to the right slightly. These mounts are retained by nickel screws that are unbuggered. There is a short hanger attached to the dagger, which may or may not be original to it, as it does have plated hardware. The leather, though, is very good on this short hanger and it is complete with its original retainer loop. The buckle is still nice and bright, as is the snap clip. This snap clip is marked on the reverse, “DRGM”, “RZM M5/8”. The blade of this dagger is still mostly bright. There is some age staining in a couple of areas, more so on the reverse than the obverse. Some of this staining could be worked out with a little semi chrome. The crossgraining still looks to be mostly all there in the surfaces. The SS motto has a frosted look to the background and appears to be almost 100%. The reverse ricasso is matching etched with a single open RZM circle. The circle lies above the code “941/37/SS”. The “941” represents the SS production for the Eickhorn firm and “37”, of course, is the date the dagger was produced. This piece may be just a little bit later then the 37 dated piece I show on page 169, as the etching does not have the double proof and, more or less, looks identical to the etch on the 1936 example shown at the top of page 168. A good dagger here for those who are SS “type” collectors. The blade shoulders fit fairly well and there is a little bit of the clearance box that shows next to the ricasso area, but this is typical Eickhorn stuff, and I’m sure the warped glip does not help with any of this. An interesting dagger here, though, and a great one for those who like to study these things and ponder the reasons how they happened.

    Excellent Plus. $2,995.00

20. SSDAG #29218C Untouched Partial Röhm Inscribed SS Dagger - Carl Eickhorn

    This Untouched Partial Röhm recently comes from a veteran source. This dagger has never been cleaned and has never been taken apart. It remains in “as found” condition. The solid nickel mounts are probably the “AR” marked type, and they still retain their smooth surfaces and crisp edges. The crossguards have been deeply hand engraved. These guards have turned a yellow-green color from much patination building up since the war. The tang nut does not appear to have ever been turned, and the area around the nut is completely undisturbed. The lower portion of the bottom crossguard is of lighter color, as it has been sealed against the scabbard throat. There are no district markings on this crossguard, and nor are there inspection markings. This tells me that this dagger, which once was a full Röhm, was given to an Honorary SS Member rather than put into the normal distribution system. The grip of this dagger is a good ebony. It is still in fine condition throughout, except for the upper obverse area just where it touches the crossguards. Here, there has been just a tiny bit of shredding of the surface wood, but it is really very minor. The rest of the grip is still extremely crisp, having medium contour construction. There is one tiny pressed-in point just at the center of the ridge, which is caused by the in-place vertical hanger. This grip fits the crossguards very nicely. The runes button is turned slightly to about 6:30. The surfaces have a couple of hits to the enamel at the bottom of the runes, but it is not bad. The grip eagle is the high-necked variety. It shows no wear, and has perfect detail to its head, beak, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons, wreath, and raised swastika. It is the same yellowy patination as the rest of the nickel parts. A fine untouched hilt here! The scabbard shell is straight throughout. It is, of course, an anodized finish. This shell does show some age, particularly around the upper section and also some on the reverse center section. All in all, though, the anodizing is not too bad and looks to be still about 90%. The nickel scabbard mounts match the deep patination of the hilt. These mounts are in excellent condition throughout, to include the lower ball. There is 3 original screws in place, and the white lower screw is missing from the lower mount. (We can install another screw if desired by next owner). The original vertical hanger is in place. This vertical has never been off of the dagger, and although it shows some age and usage, the leather still seems to be okay. It is the standard coffin shape. The cross strap is the style with square nickeled buckle, and the snap clip is a nickled example. It is not solid, as it does have some rust build-up on the surfaces, but most of the plating is still there. This vertical is attached to the scabbard with the back side outward. This, apparently, was because the original owner also wore the original short hanger on occasion. This short hanger is attached to the ring which is on the left side, and the hardware is all solid nickel on this one. The snout-nosed style snap clip and buckle exactly match the patination of the rest of the dagger. The leather of the hanger is a little bit limp, but it is still all there to include the retainer loop. The blade of this example on the obverse is still mostly bright. It does show some age in the surfaces, and the motto only has about 50% of the original darkening in the backgrounds. There are also signs of some “going over”, possibly with a wire brush. This process looks identical to the process that was done on the reverse. The reverse of the blade still has all of the inscription, but the Röhm signature has been taken out through the grinding process. This inscription, though, has the same backgrounds as the SS motto. The small double oval trademark is the style with smooth tail, and only a little bit of the animal itself was removed during the grinding process. It does look as though the man that did the grinding decided to clean up the back of the blade, and at the same time, put his touch on the front of the blade also. This is commonly seen with ground-in daggers. It does result, though, in a blade that only grades at about excellent. In addition to these grains put in by the grinder, it also appears as though both sides of the blade have been sharpened. This sharpening, more than likely, was done post-war, but I have no way of knowing that. At any rate, this blade is left just as it has recently surfaced. The blade shoulders perfectly fit the lower crossguard contour. This is an opportunity to receive an untouched, unscrewed, with 100% original SS Partial Röhm. It is certainly not in a mint state, but then again, it is what it is.

    Excellent. $6,250.00

21. SSDAG #28790C Early Transitional Model 1933 SS Dagger – Carl Eickhorn

    This transitional SS dagger does not look to have been cleaned in many years. It is not dirty however, it is just that the all nickel mounts have turned a nice yellow tone. Although I did not take it apart I can say with certainty that the crossguards are the “H.E.” marked variety internally. These crossguards are in excellent condition having good smooth surfaces, crisp edges and the deep hand cut accent grooves used by this producer. There is no district stamping on the back of this crossguard but there is a very early inspection number, “2” stamped underneath the crossguard next to the blade edge. These inspection numbers were only done early on. The tang nut also nicely matches the other mounts. This grip is a fairly smooth contour constructed type. It has a couple of minor surface chips at the upper obverse and reverse and also one or two down at the lower sections of both sides. If the next owner would like these chips undetectably repaired we can do this for the sum of $150.00. The grip the way it is does not look bad, but I’m sure it would look nicer if these chips were repaired. The runes button is in good condition having all of the enameled surfaces still intact. The SS runes are tipped slightly to about 7 o’clock. The grip eagle is a nickel variety being the type that has a beak pointing upward slightly. This eagle also shows wear to the head and breast feathering, however the wing feathering, wreath, and swastika are still nice and crisp. The scabbard shell is nice and straight and it has excellent anodized surfaces. In fact, the anodizing still all appears to be in place and there are also some old traces of lacquer, mostly right at the protected areas around the upper and lower mounts. These two mounts are matching nickel and they are in good condition to include the lower ball. The nickel screws are all in place. Not a bad scabbard here! The blade of this example is still in nice condition. In fact, the reverse blade is in near full mint condition and the obverse would be also except for the fact that the motto etching seems to lack in the darkening of the letters. The letters only look to have about 50% of this darkening but the rest of the blade is still nice and bright and there is most of the crossgraining that shows. This dagger is marked on the back with the early double oval trademark. This double oval encloses the firm’s name and location, “Carl Eickhorn Solingen” and inside is a squirrel with a serrated tail having the letters, “C.E.” beneath the animal. Below this in a much darker background is an open RZM circle over the code for Carl Eickhorn, “941/36/SS”. Some of you may be scratching your head now and saying why the heck would this dagger have an early 1933 code with a 1936 code. Well the answer to this is that these daggers were though to be full Röhm daggers that were sent back to Eickhorn to have the grinding removed. Apparently Eickhorn decided to reissue these pieces and it was a couple of years later before they got them ready to go, thus the 1936 date on the RZM marking. There is a dagger that I show in my SS Book on page 167 that is nearly identical to this example. The difference is that the dagger in the book does not have an inspection number on the lower crossguard whereas this one does. If you are an SS collector this is a fantastic piece to add to your collection. The blade shoulders fit the crossguards fairly well but not perfect. This kind of thing is a frequent failing seen on Eickhorn daggers, but nothing to get excited about. A very fine original example here and a great one for those collecting SS “types”.

    Excellent Plus. $3,495.00

22. SSDAG #28365C Model 1936 Mid-Period Chained SS Dagger

    This chained SS is of mid-period construction having the early style hilt. The crossguards are the solid nickel variety having a nice yellowy tone to their surfaces. These crossguards have good smooth surfaces, crisp edges and precise accent grooves. They are internally marked, “P.A.” The grip is also an exceptional example being all ebony and having no repairs. This grip still remains in perfect condition throughout and nicely fits the crossguards. This grip is of medium contour construction. The runes button is the style that is positioned straight up and down and it appears to have a couple of small flaws in the enamel but nothing that is visible to the naked eye. The matching nickel grip eagle is the style with beak which points upward slightly. This bird still has good detail to his head, breast feathering, wing feathering, wreath and mobile swastika. A very fine typical SS style hilt here. The scabbard shell is an anodized type. It is straight throughout and the anodizing appears to still be there at 100%. There is some slight age noticeable in the scabbard surfaces but it is not bad. There is also some minor lacquer still visible around the protected are of the lower mount. This dagger, scabbard and chain appear very similar to the presented chained SS example I show in my SS Book on page 235. The mounts of this scabbard are nickel-plated as it is a type I chain. Normally when we see a type I chain the fittings will be plated on the scabbard as the chain assembly upper fitting and center ramp were part of the chain and also were plated. The lower mount is also the plated type and it is in good condition showing a couple of really small rough spots but that are nothing. All of the original plated screws are in place. The center ramp has two screws as is often seen with this variation. This center ramp is the style does not have any darkening in the backgrounds, but does have good pebbled surfaces. Raised out on each side are the three intertwined swastikas. The chain links of this piece match the center ramp in that they have excellent pebbled backgrounds but no darkening. The skulls of this type I chain are very high off the surface and show great detail throughout the teeth, crossbones, eyes, nose, etc. The SS marked runes are also of high quality with good relief. The cloverleaf at the type is the type that is pierced and with a loop the “DRGM” can be seen in the lower portion of the upper cloverleaf. The spring within the snap clip appears to be a replacement as it is a coil type, but it looks period and works fine. The reverse of the upper link which is connected to the scabbard is deeply stamped with the SS culturzeichen. This chain shows a little bit of minor age but overall it is still in excellent plus condition and nicely matches the rest of this dagger’s mounts. There is a black leather belt loop with D-ring connected to the snap clip. The blade of this example is an unmarked variety, still being mostly bright. About 50% of the original graining still shows in the surfaces, with the exception of just a little bit of age and in and out markings this blade is in near mint condition. The SS motto is crisp having about 90% of the original darkening in the background. The blade shoulders nicely meet the crossguard contours. A good type I chain dagger here that shows some carrying time as well as a good sense of history. This is a good solid piece here that is somewhat affordably priced.

    Excellent Plus. $6,495.00

23. SSDAG #28464 Late Model 1936 Chained SS Dagger

    This chained SS overall looks to have had a repainted scabbard but other than that is in OK condition. The hilt is very similar to the dagger that I show on page 199, upper. These hilt fittings are nickel-plated and are the type that have the boker look to their shaping. The plating is still all there on these mounts and the same is true of the fine looking tang nut. These mounts are really in nice condition. The grip is a black ebony type being of medium contour construction. It did have a couple of fractures in the lower obverse and reverse so we repaired them accordingly and the repair really came out good. It would be very difficult to detect these repairs. The SS runes button is nicely placed being straight up and down. It has a couple of signs of hits in the surfaces but there does not look to be any enamel missing. The grip center features an aluminum high-necked style eagle. This eagle has good detail throughout and shows only modest wear. The detail is there to the eye, breast feathering, wing feathering, legs, wreath and swastika. There is a minor hit to the bottom leg of the wreathed swastika but it is nothing. A good looking hilt here! As noted above, the scabbard is straight throughout and in my mind does appear to have a newly painted shell as it is fresh looking and too good to be true. The paint though has been done beautifully and does not detract from the dagger. The scabbard mounts are the nickel-plated type as this is a type I chain. These mounts are in good condition showing some age and a little bit of dulling but overall they certainly grade at excellent plus and the scabbard ball is completely intact. All screws are present. It is interesting to note on the center ramp that it is the style with only one screw, which is what we usually see with painted scabbards, so apparently this scabbard has always had paint on it. The center ramp is the type which has good pebbled backgrounds but does not have darkening. It has excellent intertwined swastikas on both sides. The type I chain links exactly match the center ramp also having good pebbling. The skull and crossbone links are the typical type I variety having excellent detail throughout having good smiling teeth. The links having the SS runes also have excellent detail. The cloverleaf above is the style with open top and you can see the stamping, “DRGM” on the snap clip below. This chain shows a little bit of age but if someone wanted to clean it up I’m sure it would come up nicely. The top chain link that is connected to the scabbard mount is deeply stamped on the reverse with the SS culturzeichen. The blade of this example is still bright and has quite a bit of the original crossgraining on it. There are a couple of marks on the lower edges of the blade but they are not bad and probably come from someone using the blade as a tool at one time or another. The SS motto is the lightly etched type and it still has about 85-90% of the black backgrounding. This blade grades at excellent to excellent plus. It is the unmarked type and it nicely fits the lower crossguard contours. As stated in the description there are a couple of restoration aspects about this dagger but it still looks outstanding and it is priced accordingly.

    Excellent. $5,995.00