Germany, Heer. An Officer’s Dress Dagger, by P.D. Lüneschloss

(Heer Offiziersdolch). An extremely well-preserved Heer Officer’s dress dagger, measuring 410 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 “P.D. LÜNESCHLOSS, SOLINGEN”, circumscribing the firm’s logo of a sword overlying a Grecian helmet. The blade sits firmly within a nickel silver crossguard, the obverse of which bears a raised and finely-detailed Wehrmacht eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, with the seam covered by an intact black leather buffer pad. The handle grip is composed of a single piece of ribbed light brown celluloid, and completes with a rounded pommel bearing raised oak leaves around the outer circumference. The latter screws in to securely maintain the dagger’s structural integrity. Wrapped around the crossguard and lower handle grip is a period original portepee consisting of a stylized silver aluminum wire acorn, in turn suspended from a cord of identical construction. It is also accompanied by its period original scabbard, constructed of a pebbled magnetic metal shaft. The upper third of the shaft features two integral rings bearing raised oak leaf designs, with each retaining an integral loop for the accommodation of a dagger hanger. The throat is secured together with dual side rivets and retains a functional spring catch, securely holding the dagger in place during storage. Accompanying the set is a matching dagger hanger, consisting of an aluminum loop from which emanates dual field-grey doeskin straps overlaid by silver aluminum wire tresses. Each strap is adjusted with an aluminum buckle presenting as an oval oak leaf wreath, and complete with functional silvered zink alloy spring clips for attachment to the scabbard. The blade demonstrates minor pitting, in addition to slight loss of finish to the nickel silver and zink alloy features, and moderate material fatigue to the dagger hanger. The set is in an overall near extremely fine condition.