{"product_id":"original-german-wwii-early-heer-army-officer-dagger-by-carl-eickhorn-with-excellent-blade-scabbard-and-hanger-1935-1941-trademark","title":"Original German WWII Early Heer Army Officer Dagger by Carl Eickhorn with Excellent Blade, Scabbard and Hanger, 1935-1941 Trademark","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII early Heer Army officer dagger manufactured by the famous \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCarl Eickhorn of Solingen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e, complete with its original scabbard and hanger. It is a particularly attractive early example with dark blue gray oxide finished fittings, an amber celluloid grip, an excellent unsharpened blade retaining strong factory crossgrain, original leather blade buffer, and the desirable 1935-1941 seated squirrel Eickhorn trademark.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe pommel is in very good condition and shows only light wear along the lower edge. It appears to have been plated and then given a dark oxide finish, producing a deep blue tone overall. Early fittings of this type were made from higher quality nonferrous alloys, though the exact base metal on this example cannot be determined without further testing. The standing oak leaves and acorns around the pommel remain crisp and sharply detailed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe crossguard appears to have been finished in the same manner and retains a strong dark blue gray iridescent oxide surface. Only minor wear is present on the sharper raised edges. The Heer eagle remains exceptionally well defined through the head, breast and wing feathering, talons, wreath, and mobile swas. The original leather blade buffer remains seated within the recess of the guard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe celluloid grip has mellowed to an attractive amber color and remains in very good condition. It shows only minor wear and staining, with no cracks or chips observed. The front side is somewhat darker than the reverse from differing light exposure over time. The grip ferrule appears to be plated alloy and retains almost all of its dark oxide finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blade is in excellent condition and retains strong factory final polish grind crossgrain on both sides, a finish known in German as \u003cem\u003ePliesten\u003c\/em\u003e. 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. We can see some very minor oxidation staining, as well as the usual runner wear and light scuffing from cleaning, but no major condition issues. The edge is correctly unsharpened and free of dents or dings, and the needle-like tip of the blade intact and unbent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rear of the blade is clearly etched with the 1935-41 Eickhorn trademark: a seated squirrel holding a sword, with the word \u003cstrong\u003eORIGINAL\u003c\/strong\u003e above and the firm's name and location, \u003cstrong\u003eEickhorn \/ SOLINGEN\u003c\/strong\u003e below. Carl Eickhorn is a legendary maker from Solingen, the famous \"City of Blades\" in Western Germany. According to J. Anthony Carter's book, \u003cem\u003eGERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS\u003c\/em\u003e, this company was founded in 1865 by Carl Eickhorn, and is arguably the most famous of all Solingen makers. Not only could the family trace their history back 500 years, but they could also demonstrate involvement in the hardening and grinding industries for the same period. \u003cstrong\u003eTruly the nobility of Solingen Edged weapon dynasties.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe original steel scabbard is a particularly fine example and appears to have been plated and then finished with the same dark blue oxide treatment seen on the dagger fittings. It remains straight overall with no major dents or bends, though there is a slight skew to one side that does not interfere with inserting or removing the blade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe underlying plating is very well retained. Past polishing has removed a considerable amount of the oxide finish, with the strongest surviving dark coloration concentrated toward the lower portion of the scabbard. The finely pebbled panels remain crisp and sharply defined, while the suspension bands feature an overlapping oak leaf and acorn motif. The scabbard throat is the thinner pattern and is retained by a single flush mounted screw on the reverse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAttached to the scabbard is an original officer dagger hanger in very good condition. The pebbled spring clips function correctly and have developed an attractive aged patina. The buckles and keepers are decorated with oak leaf and acorn motifs matching the overall design language of the dagger.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe spring clips are the sliding type and show no visible maker markings. The metal hardware appears to be primarily nickel plated zinc alloy with well retained plating, while the keepers have a slightly different silvered appearance. The straps themselves remain in excellent condition, with the velvet backing fully retained and the silver bullion faces showing very little wear or oxidation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith its early dark oxide finished fittings, 1935-1941 Carl Eickhorn seated squirrel trademark, excellent blade with strong surviving factory crossgrain, amber celluloid grip, original leather buffer, matching scabbard, and complete officer hanger, this is a particularly appealing early Heer officer dagger. The minor fitting wear, slight grip color variation, small areas of blade staining and scuffing, scabbard skew, and partial loss of the oxide finish from past polishing are all fully disclosed. It would display especially well in a Carl Eickhorn maker, early Heer officer dagger, German WWII edged weapon, Solingen maker, or advanced military dagger collection\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBlade Length: 10\"\u003cbr\u003eBlade Style: Spear Point Dagger\u003cbr\u003eOverall length: 14 5\/8“\u003cbr\u003eCrossguard: 2 3\/4”\u003cbr\u003eScabbard Length: 11 1\/8\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45532233793605,"sku":"ONSV26CC119","price":895.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/8B23B9A9-A9B5-47B7-9659-7F330C108877.jpg?v=1786565668","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-german-wwii-early-heer-army-officer-dagger-by-carl-eickhorn-with-excellent-blade-scabbard-and-hanger-1935-1941-trademark","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}