Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII NSKK Dienstdolch Service Dagger by Paul F. Dick of Esslingen, fitted with solid nickel silver hilt fittings, a strongly flame figured mahogany toned grip, an early Sw group marked lower guard, and a black enamel scabbard that appears to be a later wartime replacement. The dagger shows honest service wear throughout and retains the uncommon horizontal Paul F. Dick Arrow trademark on the reverse ricasso.

The crossguards and pommel nut are solid nickel silver and show a lightly aged patina without the lifting or flaking associated with plated fittings. The lower reverse guard is stamped:

Sw

for Südwest, the SA/NSKK group district in southwestern Germany. This type of group marking is associated with earlier Pre-1935 production and supports the early character of the dagger. The pommel nut shows circumferential wear from tightening, but the hilt remains tight on the tang.

The wood grip has a rich reddish mahogany tone with a medium center ridge and pronounced flame figure running through the grain. It shows pressure dents, scratches, several small chips, and a crack passing through the SA roundel area, including a chip adjacent to the upper guard. The roundel retains most of its translucent enamel with some surface wear, while the surrounding metal shows light oxidation and verdigris. The solid nickel silver grip eagle is the early straight beak type and retains most of its original detail to the beak, breast and wing feathering, talons, wreath, and mobile hook cross.

The blade remains mostly bright but shows evidence of old oxidation peppering followed by cleaning. Much of the original factory Pliesten crossgrain has been removed, though traces remain visible near the guard under the right light. Scattered staining is still present. The factory edge remains unsharpened, while the tip has been slightly rounded through past cleaning.

The acid etched "Everything for Germany" SA motto remains clearly legible:

Alles für Deutschland

although the original factory darkening has been completely lost.

This fine example was produced by desirable maker Paul. F. Dick, Esslingen, and rear of the dagger is marked with the very rare "horizontal" version of the company's trademark "der Pfeil" (the Arrow) logo inside a cartouche over the address:

(Arrow) F. DICK
ESSLINGEN

Paul. Freidrich Dick, Stahlwaren- und Werkzeug-Fabrik (Steelware and Tool Factory) was a storied edged weapon producer located in Esslingen am Neckar, Württemberg. According to J. Anthony Carter's book, GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS, the company was first founded in 1778, and traded as Freidr. Dick until 1920, when it became Paul. F. Dick. They made many SA and NSKK daggers with the 1895 "No. 433" trademark marked vertically on the blade. Only a few were made with the rarer version placed horizontally above "ESSLINGEN" that this example has.

The steel scabbard remains straight and is finished in black enamel, consistent with later NSKK use. The finish shows checking, bubbling, crazing, scratches, and chips, with a somewhat matte appearance overall. Its exact refinishing history cannot be confirmed, though the surface suggests that it may have been refinished during its service life or later. The upper and lower fittings are nickel plated steel and show age related wear, including localized plating bubbling near the hanger ring and several small dents to the lower ball. All four dome head retaining screws remain present. We also noted that the scabbard does not grip the blade strongly at all, possibly due to the runners being worn or removed.

Overall condition is very good and clearly service used. The flame figured grip, early Sw group marking, solid nickel silver fittings, and horizontal Paul F. Dick Arrow trademark are the strongest collector features, while the cleaned blade, softened crossgrain, rounded tip, grip crack and chips, and possibly refinished later black scabbard are all fully disclosed. It would display especially well in an NSKK dagger, Paul F. Dick, early group marked SA/NSKK edged weapon, or advanced German WWII dagger collection.

Specifications:
Blade Length: 8 3/4"
Overall length: 13 3/4”
Crossguard: 3”
Scabbard Length: 10”

History of the SA & NSKK-

The SA or Brown Shirts, were a private political formation which Adolf AH and the NSDAP used to maintain order at organized Party meetings and demonstrations. The group was formed in 1921, and grew to a huge force of nearly 3,000,000 men by the later 1930's. To instill esprit de corps, as well as create employment for the Blade City of Solingen, it was decided each SA man would carry a dagger with his Brown Shirt uniform. Huge quantities needed to be produced to accommodate the demand. The dagger initially was produced of hand-fitted nickel mounts with attractive finished wood grip and brown anodized (a bluing process) finished scabbard.

The blade was etched with the SA motto, Alles für Deutschland. Examples produced prior to 1935 were stamped with the German sector of the SA group on reverse lower crossguard. Later examples underwent standardization through the RZM ministry. These pieces were produced of cheaper plated zinc-base fittings and scabbards were simply painted brown.

Prior to his "unmasking" as a traitor, Ernst Röhm was the leader of the SA. In 1934, he distributed approximately 100,000 SA daggers with his personal inscription on the reverse blade. These daggers were to honor individuals who had served with the SA prior to December, 1931. Other than the inscription, these pieces were identical to the standard M1933 SA dagger. After the Röhm purge, the inscription was ordered to be removed. Many examples were returned to the factory for grinding. Others were simply ground in the field by whatever means were available. Examples will occasionally be encountered with remnants of the original inscription remaining on the blade, but mostly none will remain. Some blades exist with an intact inscription, reflecting only the removal of the Röhm signature. Very very rarely is an example seen with a full, untouched inscription, as the holder would have surely risked a charge of treason.

After the purge, the NSKK, which had been a part of the SA, was split off into a separate organization. They retained the same daggers as the SA, however now used a black painted scabbard, and their officer's daggers had a few differences as well. Many already had SA daggers, so these had the scabbards painted black over the original brown anodized finish.