Germany, Luftwaffe. An Officer’s Dress Dagger, with Hanger, by Carl Eickhorn

(Luftwaffe Offiziersdolch mit Anhänger). A Luftwaffe Officer’s dress dagger, measuring 425 mm in total length when inserted into the scabbard. It features a 265 mm-long polished magnetic steel blade with a sharpened tip and edges. The blade is plain with the exception of a maker’s mark on the reverse ricasso reading “ORIGINAL EICKHORN, SOLINGEN”, circumscribing the firm’s classic logo of a squirrel clutching a sword. It sits securely within a silvered alloy upper crossguard, the obverse of which presents as a raised and finely-detailed Luftwaffe eagle clutching a mobile swastika, with the seam covered by an intact black leather buffer pad. The handle grip is composed of a single piece of ribbed brown celluloid, with the ribbing retaining an original length of twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire cord. It completed with a rounded pommel bearing a double-sided wreathed and gilded mobile swastika, screwing in to securely maintain the dagger’s structural integrity. It is accompanied by its period original scabbard, constructed of a pebbled magnetic metal shaft. The upper third of the shaft features two integral bands decorated with oak leaves, each with a loop for the accommodation of a hanger. The throat retains a functional spring catch, firmly holding the dagger in place during storage, and is held together by dual side rivets. Also accompanying the dagger is a matching hanger, constructed of two dark grey doeskin straps bearing dark grey rayon tresses flanked by silver aluminum wire bands on the obverse. Each descending from a zink alloy clip bearing a Reichszeugmeisterei (RZM) logo and oak leaf designs, the straps are adjusted with functional buckles and both complete in zink alloy spring clips. The hanger measures 280 mm in total length as presented. Issues consistent with age and wear are evident, and include moderate oxidation to the blade and scabbard, in addition to some loss of finish to the zink and metal alloy features. Additionally, the hanger straps appear to have been re-stitched backwards. The set is in an overall better than very fine condition.