Russia, Soviet Union. A Naval Officer's Dagger with Hanger

A well-preserved Soviet Navy officer’s dagger, measuring 342 mm in length when inserted into the scabbard. It features a 217 mm long nickel-plated magnetic metal blade with a sharpened tip and sharpened edges, the blade with both edges bevelled on both sides. The obverse ricasso bears an etched maker's mark of "ЗИК" framed by a triangle (Златоустовский Инструментальный Комбинат = Zlatoust Tool Factory) above the manufacturing date "1954", while the reverse ricasso is etched with the serial number of "N18577". The base of the blade has a black leather washer, with the blade set securely into the gilded bronze upper crossguard with hooked quillons. The reverse of the handle with a brass push release stud, connected to a spring-loaded catch on the reverse ricasso of the blade, allowing for secure attachment to the scabbard. The grip is embedded into the handle and is composed of a smooth light orange celluloid, the end of the dagger finished with a pommel in gilded bronze and bearing the state emblem of the Soviet Union on the obverse side and is finished with a circular disk with a raised five-pointed star on its end, the dagger measuring 317 mm in length overall, the blade exhibiting very light scratches overall, common to extraction and return to the scabbard, along with nicks and contact marks on the crossguard, rating better than very fine. It is accompanied by its original scabbard, the body of which is wrapped in blackened leather, with three gilded bronze adornments on the body, a locket, a central band and a chape, each held in place by a single visible rivet on the reverse. The obverse of the locket bears a traditional naval fouled anchor, while the reverse depicts a two-masted sailing ship cutting through waves. The chape is finished in a snub-nosed style. Both the locket and the central band have ball finials, each of which has a large suspension ring fed through them for accommodating the hangers on the belt, the scabbard measuring 240 mm in length overall, with contact marks and moderate surface wear on the fixtures, also rating better than very fine. The hanger waist belt features a two-piece construction, with two panels stitched together, the upper piece in a lemon-yellow cotton twill, interlaced with three rows incorporating a series of bars in red, black, green and yellow embroidered threading in a repeating pattern, the underside piece in light yellow cotton. Both ends of the waist belt incorporate two metal rivets, along with a hook which is designed to attach to brown finished eyelets on the underside for length adjustment, twelve at one end and twelve at the other. The underside of the waist belt on the left end has two production stamps in black ink: (i) a single square framed box bearing a five-sided star above "343", (ii) the other of which features two adjoining square framed boxes, with the one on the right stating "2 РОСТ" (2 Growth) above "OTK", while the one on the left states "МПКГО" above a partially legible mark. The left end of the waist belt has a gilded bronze belt buckle, the buckle bearing a fouled anchor surmounted by a five-pointed star and framed within an open-ended wreath of laurel leaves, the buckle measuring 41.5 mm in width x 49.5 mm in height, the belt fed through its loop and securing the buckle in place. The waist belt measures 45 mm in width x 1,250 mm in length. Both dagger hanger straps are in a matching lemon-yellow cotton twill, interlaced with two rows incorporating a series of bars in red, black, green and yellow embroidered threading in a repeating pattern. Each strap has a 32.8 mm x 69 mm brass length adjustment buckle at the midpoint, each of which has two circular disks, one at either end, each disk bearing a fouled anchor surmounted by a five-pointed star and framed within an open-ended wreath of laurel leaves. Also, there are brass clips attached to loops at either end, the clips at one end designed to connect to the bronze rings protruding from the bottom of the belt, one of which has a multi-link chain with a large u-shaped hook affixed, the hooks at the opposite end connecting to the large suspension rings on the scabbard, both straps measuring 25 mm in width. Better than very fine.