Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII transitional Model 1933 SS dagger, or SS-Ehrendolch, manufactured by Carl Eickhorn of Solingen and dated by its RZM contract marking to 1937. It is a desirable numbered example with the reverse crossguard stamped SS No. 65 2858 and is complete with its black scabbard, rare leather vertical hanger, and separate belt loop. Particularly notable is the blade, which retains strong original factory final polish crossgrain across both sides despite localized staining, corrosion, and edge damage.

The Model 1933 SS dagger was introduced shortly after the organization adopted standardized ceremonial edged weapons. Early on, members of the SS were awarded their daggers during a ceremony at the Feldherrnhalle Memorial in Munich. The annual ritual, charged with mysticism and meant to evoke the traditions of medieval Teutonic knights, was held on 9 November, the date of the unsuccessful Munich Putsch of 1923. Both officers and enlisted men wore the identical dagger until 1936. After this time, only enlisted men wore the M1933 dagger.

Early examples were fitted with solid nickel silver guards, ebony grips, nickel scabbard mounts, and polished blades etched with the SS motto Meine Ehre heißt Treue, or “My Honor is Loyalty.” Early scabbard shells used a factory blackened finish protected by lacquer, while later production increasingly incorporated plated fittings and painted shells. Transitional examples such as this combine characteristics of earlier production with the later RZM-controlled marking system.

This 1937 dated dagger was produced by Carl Eickhorn of Solingen. The reverse blade is marked with the RZM and SS contract information:

(RZM)
941/37/ᛋᛋ

Under the RZM marking the blade is etched with a 1935 to 1941 Carl Eickhorn trademark:

ORIGINAL
Eickhorn
SOLINGEN

with the seated squirrel holding a sword. Carl Eickhorn used several different trademark styles during the Third Reich period, so the presence of this correct 1935–1941 marking is an important detail when evaluating the dagger’s date and configuration.

Carl Eickhorn is a legendary maker from Solingen, the "City of Blades" (Klingenstadt) in Western Germany. According to J. Anthony Carter's definitive reference book, GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS, this marking type was specifically used on Luftwaffe and NPEA daggers, as well as the "Feldmarschall" series of swords. The 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. Truly the nobility of Solingen Edged weapon dynasties.

The blade remains mostly bright and retains original factory final polish crossgrain throughout much of both sides, an especially important feature to advanced edged weapon collectors because it indicates that the blade has not been comprehensively polished or resurfaced. There are localized areas of water staining and rust near the cutting edge and close to the lower crossguard, including some erosion caused by corrosion. The edge has not been sharpened and the tip remains intact, although there are several dents and small chips along both edges. The etched motto Meine Ehre heißt Treue remains crisp, though some of its original darkened background finish has been reduced by past cleaning. The blade shoulders meet the lower crossguard contour correctly, and the blade remains firmly seated in the hilt.

The crossguards and pommel nut are of early solid nickel silver construction rather than plated base metal. The accent grooves are hand executed, and the non-magnetic pommel nut also appears to be solid nickel silver. The fittings show light overall oxidation and some rust staining where corrosion from the blade and scabbard throat has transferred to the lower guard. The reverse crossguard is stamped with the SS number:

65 2858

No district numeral is visible. This number was checked against an incomplete published listing available to us but could not be identified. Additional surviving SS membership records may exist, so the number remains a potentially useful avenue for further research. The interiors of the guards were also inspected, and no additional cast or stamped markings were observed.

The ebony grip has an attractive dark brown-black appearance and shows the pressure dents and handling wear expected from service. A section of wood is missing from the obverse near the right side of the pommel, while the reverse has a larger loss in the corresponding area together with an adjacent crack. Near the lower crossguard is an area that appears to have been crudely sanded, probably in an attempt to reduce earlier dents or chips. The inset silvered ᛋᛋ doppelte Siegrune button remains in very good condition with intact glossy enamel, though the plated metal portions show wear and oxidation. The grip eagle is the high-necked type with the beak angled slightly upward. It remains in good condition with light wear and an attractive aged patina.

The scabbard is the correct early style with a steel shell originally carrying a blackened or blued finish protected by lacquer. The protective lacquer is now gone, together with most of the original dark finish. Much of the shell is oxidized and shows areas of earlier pitting and subsequent cleaning, although a few smoother sections still retain portions of the original black coloration. The matching solid nickel silver mounts remain in good condition with oxidation and staining from age and moisture exposure. The lower ball is largely free of dents, a desirable feature on these relatively soft early nickel silver fittings, and all four dome-headed mounting screws remain present and in good condition.

The scabbard is secured in a rare leather vertical hanger fitted with a plated alloy attachment clip and accompanied by a separate belt loop with steel D-ring. The hanger leather remains pliable and shows finish wear consistent with age and use. Its retaining strap is still intact without cracking and can be opened to remove the scabbard for inspection. The vertical hanger is marked with the RZM emblem beside:

8 / 38

The separate belt loop is marked with the RZM emblem beside:

1 / 78

These are SS RZM contractor markings, though the manufacturers represented by these particular codes have not been identified from the information available. The hanger clip remains functional and is marked:

DRGM

DRGM, from Deutsches Reichs-Gebrauchsmuster, indicates a registered or protected utility design under the German system in use at the time.

With its 1937 RZM 941/37/ ᛋᛋ contract marking, Carl Eickhorn 1935-1941 trademark, numbered crossguard, solid nickel silver fittings, strong surviving blade crossgrain, early blackened scabbard, rare vertical hanger, and separately RZM marked belt loop, this is a particularly desirable transitional Model 1933 SS dagger configuration. The blade staining and corrosion, edge dents and chips, reduced motto darkening, grip losses and crack, sanded wood, fitting oxidation, scabbard finish loss and pitting, and unidentified SS number and hanger contractor codes are fully disclosed. It would be especially well suited to an advanced SS dagger, Carl Eickhorn, transitional RZM edged weapon, numbered SS artifact, or German WWII edged weapon collection.

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

The SS (Schutzstaffel - 'Protection Squadron') was originally formed in 1925, ostensibly to act as a small, loyal bodyguard unit to protect the Führer, Adolf AH. Under the direction of the infamous Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, the SS grew to be the most ruthless and feared organization of the 20th century. They were the vanguard of NSDAP and eventually controlled nearly every function of German life and much of Occupied Europe. The SS-Ehrendolch (SS honor dagger) was introduced in 1933. Early on, members of the SS were awarded their daggers during a ceremony at the Feldherrnhalle Memorial in Munich. The annual ritual, charged with mysticism and meant to evoke the traditions of medieval Teutonic knights, was held on 9 November, the date of the unsuccessful Munich Putsch of 1923. Both officers and enlisted men wore the identical dagger until 1936. After this time, only enlisted men wore the M1933 dagger.

The SS Dagger was equipped with nickel cross guards with an ebony wood grip. The black grip contained a National eagle with swas insignia recessed in the center area and an ᛋᛋ doppelte Siegrune (Double Sig/Victory Rune) button inset at the top. On early examples the scabbard shell surface was factory blackened using a metal bluing process. The scabbard had nickel mounts. The SS blade was a polished type containing the SS motto, Meine Ehre Heisst Treue (My Honor is Loyalty). Early examples bore one of three district stampings on the lower reverse crossguard of I, II, or III. Early examples were mostly hand-fit. Production of later examples was more standardized, using cheaper, nickel-plated fittings with black painted scabbard shells. They could be held with a standard belt hanger, or a much rarer vertical hanger.