Original Item: Only One Available. This later SA Dagger has not been cleaned in a long while and it appears to not have been taken apart in modern times. The nickel hilt mounts are in good condition having a nice dull look to their surfaces. The crossguards still have smooth surfaces and crisp edges. The accent grooves are quite deeply cut into the surfaces.

The grip is a brown color wood having a nice subtle burl in the sides which could be brought out with a little furniture polish. This grip is in good condition throughout and nicely fits the crossguards. The symbol button is nicely placed and has no damage to the enamel. The nickel grip eagle is the type with point-behind-the-head construction. This bird is in choice condition having crisp detail remaining to the eye, beak, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons and mobile swas.

The blade of this example is still mostly bright, though it does have runner wear and signs of past water exposure. There are areas of light staining and dried grease, which we have left intact to preserve the patina. The factory final grind crossgrain is still apparent throughout the blade surface. The acid-etched Alles für Deutschland (Everything for Germany) SA motto is still quite crisp, however the factory darkening is now faded.

The rear is etched with the RZM contract information:

This marking indicates the dagger was made by RZM Dagger contractor "116", which records show is the rare maker C. Gustav Spitzer AG, Stahwaren-Fabrik (Steelware Factory), of Solingen, the legendary "City of Blades" in Western Germany. According to J. Anthony Carter's book, GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS, this company was founded in 1863 by Carl Gustav Spitzer, and later registered in Solingen in 1883. It made pocket, sporting, and hunting knives, and by 1928 was owned by Ernst Spitzer. They manufactured several different types of knives during the war, including specifically early SA daggers bearing their lion trademark, and later daggers with their RZM number M7 / 80.

The Reichszeugmeisterei (National Quartermaster's Office), 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 80 stands for C. Gustav Spitzer AG of Solingen.

The scabbard shell is straight throughout, though there is definitely paint missing in areas, which has allowed the steel to oxidize. We can also see trace of black paint under the brown, so this may have originally been a scabbard for an NSKK dagger, which were identical to the SA type except for the scabbard. The scabbard shell is equipped with fine matching plated steel mounts, which show only light wear and oxidation, though the bottom "ball" is crushed in. They nicely match the crossguards and are complete with all four dome head screws.

An excellent example of a mid to late war pattern SA dagger from a rare maker, complete with scabbard. 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.