Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very attractive early German WWII Heer Army Officer's Dagger manufactured by the well known Solingen firm F. W. Höller, Waffenfabrik. It is complete with its original style silver plated scabbard and features an especially desirable translucent orange celluloid grip of the type collectors often refer to as a “glass grip.” Most impressive is the excellent blade, which retains strong original factory Pließten crossgrain on both sides together with the distinctive Höller thermometer trademark.

The pommel is in very good condition and retains a deeply aged blue gray patina over what appears to be an originally silver plated surface. The exact base alloy is difficult to determine without testing, although areas of wear do not show the dull gray appearance normally associated with zinc based fittings. The standing oak leaves and acorns remain crisply defined, with most of the wear concentrated around the rounded lower edge where portions of the original surface finish have been lost. The crossguard has a similar aged silvered appearance with light service and cleaning wear. Its Heer eagle remains exceptionally well detailed through the head, breast, wing feathers, talons, and wreathed hook cross. The grip ferrule appears to be plated steel and retains its finish very well without notable corrosion.

The grip is a lovely translucent orange color and is made from celluloid or a comparable early synthetic material. Collectors commonly refer to this highly translucent type as a “glass grip,” and it is a particularly attractive feature on an Army Officer dagger. The surface shows some scattered speckled staining, minor scratches, and light handling wear. There is also a small oval chip near the ferrule on the side, which shows that the material chips very similar to glass. There are no other cracks, chips, or major damage.

The blade is the standout feature of this dagger and remains in excellent condition. Both sides retain the original fine factory final polish crossgrain known in German as Pließten, produced during the final blade finishing process. It is created by polishing the blades with large leather covered wheels using a slurry of extremely fine grit, and is nearly impossible to replicate using modern means. For advanced edged weapon collectors, the survival of this original crossgrain is an especially important feature because it indicates that the blade has not been aggressively polished or resurfaced after manufacture.

The cutting edges remain correctly unsharpened and the tip is intact with no bends. There is normal runner wear along the blade flats together with a few areas of light staining and fine swirl marks, which are essentially the only notable condition issues.

The ricasso is etched with a "losenge" style trademark logo that reads:-

F. W. HÖLLER
(Thermometer)
SOLINGEN

surrounding the trademark Höller "Thermometer" emblem. This is a well-known maker from Solingen, the famous "City of Blades" in Western Germany, which produced many fine edged weapons. F.W. Höller, Waffenfabrik (Weapons Factory), located in Solingen, the legendary "City of Blades" in western Germany. During the WWII Period they manufactured many SA and NSKK daggers, both with their "thermometer" trademark and later with the RZM code M7/33. They also produced numerous 98K bayonets and other edged weapons. The firm was founded in 1866, and registered in Solingen in 1883. By 1900 ownership had passed to Emil Höller, and it continued manufacture after WWII, finally closing in 1974. For more information please see J. Anthony Carter's fine work GERMAN SWORD AND KNIFE MAKERS.

The scabbard is a very attractive silver plated steel example retaining most of its original finish, with darker tarnish remaining in protected areas. The body has the expected finely pebbled panels and shows honest service wear. There is a bend and dent approximately 3 inches above the lower end, but this does not interfere with inserting or removing the blade. The carrying bands are plated nickel alloy with sharply rendered overlapping oak leaf and acorn decoration, and the throat is the thinner pattern secured by dome head screws on the narrow sides.

Overall, this is a particularly appealing Höller Army Officer dagger with an excellent combination of features. The translucent orange “glass” grip, crisp early style fittings, strong Höller thermometer trademark, exceptionally well preserved Pließten blade finish, unsharpened edges, and complete silver plated scabbard make it a very strong example for an advanced German edged weapon collection. The light grip staining, fitting wear, minor blade marks, and lower scabbard dent are all fully disclosed while leaving the dagger with excellent overall presentation.

Specifications:
Blade Length: 10"
Blade Style: Spear Point Dagger
Overall length: 14 5/8“
Crossguard: 2 3/4”
Scabbard Length: 11 1/8"

The German Army (Heer) first carried a dagger beginning in 1935. The weapon was worn in lieu of occasions not demanding the wearing of a more formal sword. The dagger design was quite attractive featuring silvered heavy fittings with white or colored grip. The crossguard depicted a Wehrmacht open-winged eagle clutching a wreathed swas.

The pommel depicted oak leafing around the outer circumference. The scabbard had panels of pebble designs. Later produced examples were plated with nickel, and late war-made pieces were unplated, finished in a gray color metal. This early war version is quite nice, and in great shape.