{"product_id":"original-german-wwii-sa-dagger-by-rare-maker-karl-tiegel-dated-1938-with-scabbard-hanger-rzm-m7-81-38","title":"Original German WWII SA Dagger by Rare Maker Karl Tiegel dated 1938 with Scabbard \u0026 Hanger - RZM M7\/81\/38","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. This very good condition 1938 produced SA Dagger is made with nickel-plated fittings throughout. The guards are made from alloy, most likely aluminum-based, and while the cross guard still has most of the plating, the pommel guard has lost almost all of it, now showing a polished aluminum color. The tang nut looks to be made from plated non-magnetic alloy, and is in great shape, with excellent plating and no signs of turning. The hilt is still fairly tight to the blade, with just a bit of wobble.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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 very good condition with great grain, and fits the guards well. There are some small dents from service, and a few cracks and chips missing near the cross guard. The SA symbol button is nicely set having fully intact enameling, with lightly oxidized plating. The details are still there to the inlaid eagle, including the beak, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons, wreath and mobile \u003ci\u003eswas\u003c\/i\u003e (hook cross), with the original plating fully intact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe blade of this example is in very good condition, with the factory final grind cross grain retained over much of the blade! This texture is iconic, and is the definitive identifying characteristic for a real WWII German Blade. This blade does however look like the edge was sharpened at some point, and there are now some tiny nicks in the edge. It also looks to have had some water stains and oxidation cleaned away, which has made the cross grain faint in some areas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The acid-etched \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlles für Deutschland\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e (Everything for Germany) SA motto is still quite crisp, with the factory darkening retained at about 40%.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rear is etched with the RZM contract information:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e(RZM)\u003cbr\u003eM7 \/ 81 \/ 38\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/center\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis marking indicates the dagger was made by RZM Dagger contractor \"81\", which records show is the rare maker K\u003cem\u003earl Tiegel, Tiegelwerk\u003c\/em\u003e (Tiegel Works), located in Riemberg, then part of the \u003cem\u003eSchlesien Bezirk\u003c\/em\u003e (Silesian District) Breslau. Post-war this area was returned to Poland, and is now known as Rościsławice, and is part of the Lower Silesian Vovoidship. Tiegel also operated a depot in Solingen-Gräfrath, part of the legendary \"City of Blades\" in western Germany. Per J. Anthony Carter's fine work \u003cem\u003eGERMAN SWORD AND KNIFE MAKERS\u003c\/em\u003e, this metalworking business was first founded in 1877 to produce butchers' kitchen and professional knives. They produced some SA and NSKK daggers during WWII, first with their own trademark during the early years, and later with their RZM code during the 1938-1940 period. This is only the second example of a Karl Tiegel edged weapon that we have ever seen, and the firm is assumed to have been abandoned and probably destroyed during the Russian advance in 1945.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eReichszeugmeisterei\u003c\/em\u003e (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 81 stands for Karl Tiegel of Riemberg.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scabbard shell is straight throughout and has very good original brown enamel paint. It has just a bit of scuffing and the usual crazing and checking in the finish, with only small areas of finish loss. Interestingly, we can see some black paint under the brown, so this may have been an NSKK dagger that was repainted to the manufacturer. The scabbard is equipped with matching plated steel mounts, which are in very good condition overall, with just a bit of finish loss and light oxidation. They nicely match the crossguards and are complete with all four dome head screws intact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAttached to the hanger ring on the scabbard is a nice later pattern belt hanger, with plated steel hardware. The leather is in aged condition, with cracking on much of the surface, and it looks like it was cut down slightly, probably from the leather tearing. The plated steel clip on the end is marked with \u003cstrong\u003e(RZM)\u003c\/strong\u003e code \u003cstrong\u003eM5 \/ 71\u003c\/strong\u003e for \u003cem\u003eOverhoff \u0026amp; Cie. of Lüdenscheid\u003c\/em\u003e, whose \u003cstrong\u003eOLC in a diamond\u003c\/strong\u003e trademark is also present.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn very nice example of 1938 dated SA dagger from a rare maker, complete with scabbard \u0026amp; hanger. Ready to display!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBlade Length: 8 3\/4\"\u003cbr\u003eOverall length: 13 3\/4”\u003cbr\u003eCrossguard: 3”\u003cbr\u003eScabbard Length: 10”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHistory of the SA-\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePrior 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41941448785989,"sku":"ONJR24ASJ040","price":895.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONJR24ASJ040__01.jpg?v=1726275064","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-german-wwii-sa-dagger-by-rare-maker-karl-tiegel-dated-1938-with-scabbard-hanger-rzm-m7-81-38","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}