Original Item: Only One Available. This excellent condition transitional period Pre-War produced SA Dagger has nickel-plated fittings throughout. The crossguards and tang nut are nickel plated zinc alloy, and retain almost all of the original plating, showing some areas of bubbling and flaking next to the grip, due to reaction with the wood. There is not any major chipping or dents in the fittings, just the usual effects of age.

The grip is a fine product having a fine reddish colored mahogany tone in the surfaces and having medium center ridge construction. This grip is in excellent condition with great grain, and fits the crossguards well. There are some pressure dents, but no chips, cracks, or other damage. The SA symbol button is nicely set having fully intact enameling, and the plating intact with some verdigris and oxidation as shown. The details are still there to the inlaid nickel plated eagle, including the beak, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons, wreath and mobile swas (hook cross).

The blade of this example is in excellent condition, with almost 100% of the factory cross grain still visible. This texture is iconic, and is the definitive identifying characteristic for a real WWII German Blade. There is just a bit missing due to running wear, and there are just a few tiny areas of oxidation staining. The edge is correctly unsharpened, and the point is unbent. The acid-etched Alles für Deutschland (Everything for Germany) SA motto is still quite crisp, with the factory darkening still intact. We have very rarely seen a blade better than this fantastic example!

The reverse of the blade is etched with the "Twins" (Zwilling) trademark logo of J.A. Henckels AG, Zwillingswerk, Stahlwarenfabrik ("Twin Works" Steelware Factory) of Solingen, over the companies RZM designation and date:

(Twins Logo)

((RZM))
M7/10
1938

This well-known company has used the "Twins" trademark since it was founded June 13th, 1731 by Johann Peter Henckels as Die Zwillinge. The brand's namesake was Johann Abraham Henckels the Elder (1771–1850), who renamed the brand after himself while under his leadership. The company registered several additional brands and trademarks over the years, including "triplets" and "quadruplets" to avoid confusion with their "twins" logo. The company was officially registered with Solingen in 1882, and became purveyors to the Prussian and Austrian imperial houses. They also began a healthy export business not long after.

During the third reich era, the company made SA and NSKK daggers, as well as forged blades for other manufacturers. They manufactured HJ knives, but they seem to be somewhat rare, so production was probably limited. They also made early period army and Luftwaffe daggers, per J. Anthony Carter's fine work GERMAN SWORD AND KNIFE MAKERS. The company survived the war, and is still in operation today as one of the world's leading manufacturers of chef's knives.

The scabbard shell is straight and dent free throughout and has excellent original brown enamel paint. There are just a few chips, and we see no evidence that it was refinished. The scabbard shell is equipped with fine matching nickel-plated steel mounts, which are in very good condition overall, with only some plating wear through and very minor denting on the lower ball. They nicely match the crossguards and are complete with all four dome head screws. Really a top example!

Attached to the hanger ring on the scabbard is a very nice early pattern belt hanger, with solid nickel alloy hardware and brown finished leather. The leather is in very good condition, showing a wear and wrinkling to the finish, though we do not see any cracking or tears. The keeper loop is still present, and the end clip is fully functional. We did not see any markings on the hanger.

The Reichszeugmeisterei, or RZM, was was based at the Brown house in Munich and NSDAP party headquarters in Berlin. The RZM ensured that the manufacturers of military items were consistent in design, quality of materials and other characteristics of the items. It also defined standards of design, manufacturing and quality and published an authoritative color chart for textiles. The M7 in the code stands for knives/daggers, contractor 10 stands for firm J.A. Henckels AG, Zwillingswerk of Solingen.

A fantastic example of a transitional pattern SA dagger from a desirable maker with an excellent blade, complete with scabbard and hanger. We have rarely seen better! Ready to display!

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

History of the SA-

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.