ARMY – Army edged weapons
Army dagger – Model 1935
History & Introduction:
The army officer's dagger was introduced in 1935 by order of the Chief of the Army Command as the official sidearm for officers of the Wehrmacht. From the outset, it was intended as a ceremonial uniform item and not for combat use.
The dagger was designed by the artist Paul Casberg. The finished design was personally reviewed and approved by the then Chancellor of the Reich before mass production began.
Like all officers' daggers of the Wehrmacht, the army dagger was also privately procured. It was manufactured by producers, primarily from the Solingen area.
Development & Execution:
Although Paul Casberg worked for the Eickhorn company, the production of the army dagger was not limited to a single manufacturer. To meet the initially high demand for officers' daggers, production was distributed among numerous companies.
In total, around 33 manufacturers were involved in the production. These included companies whose primary focus was originally on other edged weapons. For example, companies like SMF, known mainly for air force edged weapons, produced smaller quantities of the army dagger.
Design & Dimensions:
The army dagger consists of a crossguard, hilt, pommel, and scabbard with hanger. Depending on the manufacturer and production period, there are differences in details and design.
The crossguard depicts a military eagle with outstretched wings. The reverse side is smooth. The basic shape of the crossguard is the same, but the design and surface finish may vary.
The handle is round and features circumferential fluting. Early versions have steep fluting, known as "slant grips." The army dagger handle is not wire-wrapped. Handles were made from various materials, including Trolon, plastic-bonded versions with a plaster filling, handles with a wooden core and celluloid coating, and Galalith, recognizable by its milky surface and fine hairline cracks. Colors range from white to orange, which could darken over time.
The pommel is screwed onto the upper end of the blade tang and secures the entire dagger construction. Around its circumference is a band of 12 to 14 vertically oriented oak leaves.
The scabbard is drawn from a single piece of sheet steel and measures approximately 28 cm in length. Its surface is pebble-granulated, interrupted only in the middle section and at the bottom. Two separate scabbard bands with rings are slid onto the scabbard, to which the suspension loop is attached. A throat plate is located at the top, which is screwed in place depending on the version.
The carrying method involves using a sling and sword knot.
Materials & Manufacturing Phases:
Early army daggers were produced under less than fully optimized manufacturing conditions. For this reason, many of these early pieces were reworked by hand. These early examples are characterized by very clean workmanship and are now highly sought after.
As the war progressed, material savings became necessary. While early daggers still featured fittings made of high-quality metals, later daggers increasingly used zinc and other more readily available metals. Aluminum was also used occasionally.
The basic design of the army dagger remained essentially unchanged throughout its production period. Differences arose primarily due to material savings and manufacturing simplifications in later years of the war.
Early versions are characterized by higher quality workmanship, while later pieces remained functionally the same but were manufactured more simply.
Manufacturers & Markings:
Army daggers were manufactured by a variety of different producers, predominantly from the Solingen area.
The manufacturer's mark is usually etched onto the blade. Differences in font, logo shape, and placement are important for dating the product.
Well-known and documented manufacturers of naval daggers include:
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Alcoso (Alexander Coppel & Son).
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Carl Eickhorn.
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Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Cie. (WKC).
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E. & F. Hörster.
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Robert Klaas.
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Firefighter Höller.
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Carl Julius Krebs.
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Puma (Lauterjung & Co.).
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Heller Brothers.
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YES Henckels.
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Friedrich Herder.
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Richard Abbr. Herder.
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Ernst Pack & Sons.
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SMF (Solinger Metallwarenfabrik).
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Wüsthof, Carl.
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Wingen, Anton.
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Weyersberg, Gottfried.
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Weyersberg, Max.
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Weyersberg, Paul.
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Zeitler.
Collector's notes:
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Complete pieces with original scabbard, hanger and sword knot are especially sought after.
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Early, hand-finished pieces with a steep handle are considered rare and are therefore highly sought after.
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Manufacturer markings can be helpful in determining the time period.
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The condition and originality of all components are crucial.
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Expert assessment is recommended.
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