Germany, Kriegsmarine. An Officer’s Dress Dagger, by Carl Eickhorn

(Kriegsmarine Offiziersdolch). A 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. Each side has dual narrow fullers which run approximately two-thirds of the blade’s length. The blade also features a double-sided acid-etched design consisting of a central fouled anchor flanked by arabesque and serpentine designs. The reverse ricasso bears a stamped maker’s mark of “ORIGINAL EICKHORN, SOLINGEN”, circumscribing the firm’s classic logo of a squirrel clutching a sword. The blade sits securely within a gilded bronze upper crossguard, bearing double-sided central fouled anchors, with an intact brown leather buffer pad covering the seam. Inset into the reverse of the crossguard is a push-button release connecting to a clip emanating from the blade’s ricasso to unlock the dagger from its scabbard. The handle grip is composed of a single piece of ribbed white celluloid, with the ribbing retaining an original twisted and rolled bronze wire cord. It completes with a pommel consisting of a German national eagle perched on top of a wreathed mobile swastika. The dagger is accompanied by its period original scabbard, constructed of a gilded bronze shaft with etched designs throughout the circumference. The upper third of the shaft has two integral oak leaf bands, both retaining loops for the accommodation of a dagger hanger. The throat is secured together with dual side rivets and securely locks onto the scabbard’s catch. Some issues consistent with age and wear are evident, and include minor tarnishing of the cracking throughout the handle grip. The dagger is in an overall very fine condition.