Germany, Heer. An Army Officer’s Dagger, by Richard Herder

(Heer Dolch). This is a unique and extremely well-preserved Heer (Army) dagger, measuring 400 mm with the scabbard on. The dagger features a nickel-silver plated magnetic metal blade, 263 mm in length, with a maximum width of 20 mm that gradually tapers toward the tip. The blade is unmarked with the exception of the upper ricasso area, which bears a maker’s mark of “Rich. Abr. Herder, Solingen”, along with the company’s logo. Both the edges and the tip of the blade present in a semi-sharpened condition. The blade fits through the crossguard, which depicts a finely-detailed, Wehrmacht-style German national eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika. The handle is composed of an well-preserved, light-brown knotted celluloid, which transitions into a richly-detailed silvered zink pommel circumscribed by oak leaves. Tied around the lower handle is a portepee, constructed of twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire, completing in an ornate, acorn-style knot. It is accompanied by its original scabbard, constructed of silvered magnetic metal and measuring 280 mm in length. The throat of the scabbard securely held together by a single metal screw. The scabbard features a functional spring catch that holds the dagger securely in place during storage and wear. It is surrounded by two rings, with oak leaf designs, securing in place a dagger hanger, composed of green doeskin wool bearing dual bands of silver aluminum wire, with adjustable zink loops and buckles with an oval oak leaf wreath design. The hanger can be removed by functional, spring-loaded clips at both ends. There is some tarnishing of the metal and zink features consistent with age, along with some running marks on the blade and cracking of the handle, but the dagger is in an otherwise better than very fine condition.