Germany, Kriegsmarine. An Officer’s Dress Dagger, with Veteran-Assembly Hanger

(Kriegsmarine Offiziers-Dolch mit Gehänge). A well-preserved Kriegsmarine Officer’s dress dagger, measuring 42 cm in total length when inserted into the scabbard. It features a 25.5 cm-long, nickel-plated, magnetic steel blade with a sharpened tip and edges, and with dual narrow fullers running approximately two-thirds of the length of each side. Unmarked, the blade sits securely within a gilded bronze crossguard which bears double-sided central fouled anchors, with the obverse inset with a push-button release connecting to a spring clip emanating from the ricasso. The handle grip consists of a single piece of ribbed off-white celluloid, with the ribbing retaining an original twisted and rolled bronze wire cord. It completes with a gilded bronze pommel consisting of a German national eagle perched on top of a wreathed mobile swastika, screwing in to maintain the dagger’s structural integrity. Wrapped around the crossguard and pommel is a matching portepee, consisting of a stylized gold bullion wire acorn suspended from a strap of identical construction. It is accompanied by its original scabbard, constructed of a bronze shaft bearing etched designs around the outer circumference. The upper third of the shaft has two integral oak leaf bands for the accommodation of a hanger. The throat retains a functional catch to lock onto the blade clip, firmly holding the dagger in place during storage. Issues consisting with age and wear are evident, and include several cracks to the handle grip and material fatigue of the portepee. It remains in a very fine condition.

Accompanying the dagger is a matching hanger, consisting of two black rayon straps completing at edge end in functional gilded zink alloy spring clips, each adjusted with functional gilded lion head buckles. Pinned to the straps are 15 Kriegsmarine trade insignia cyphers and rank pips, likely indicating a veteran’s souvenir assembly. Measuring 37.5 cm in length as presented, one clip affixed to the longer strap has broken, and the fixtures demonstrate moderate loss of finish, but the hanger remains in a very fine condition.