Original Item: Only One Available. This is part of a small collection purchased from a retiring collector. It is a fine Solingen-Produced example made by Alcoso-Werk GmbH, and comes complete with a portepee (Sword knot) and a belt hanger, both in very good condition. The celluloid grip of this 2nd Model Luftwaffe Dagger is a nice antiqued white color and in good condition, having not faded to orange. It does however have a small area of damage, where the celluloid has cracked off, showing the underlying wood, and the wire wrapping is slightly loose.

The hilt mounts are very nice on this dagger, though there is a small amount of wear. The pommel is crisp and very nice, and the swass on both sides still show a good amount of the gold highlighting. The oak leaves around them are raised out and heavily hand enhanced. The pommel also has much of the original factory blackening in the backgrounds.

The crossguard is made of Aluminum, which was an "Air Age" material, which was used to make most airplanes. It was considered fitting and desirable for the eagle-shaped guard to be made of this material. The front side is an eagle with a breast and talon area that is vaulted out much more so than the crossguards seen on other types of daggers. This guard shows little wear and has excellent feathering on the eagle. The bird, of course, flies to the left and grasps a mobile swas in his talons. The reverse panel is decorated with small pebbling and still has a good portion of the original factory blackening. The ferrule looks to be solid nickel or zinc, and is still excellent, having been protected by the Portepee, which is in very good condition, and tied in the Luftwaffe style.

This scabbard is a fine, straight example, having a good aged zinc plating, with a lovely patina. The aluminum bands are well defined and have hand enhanced oak leaves tipped at a 45 degree angle, which are worn a bit due to the softer metal. The throat is retained by two screws, on opposite sides of the throat.

The carbon steel blade is in very good condition, and has not been sharpened or dropped on the tip. There are some very lightly stained areas, however it still has nearly complete original factory final polish crossgrain throughout. The pebbled leather blade washer is still intact and in place, and the needle-like tip is still intact.

The reverse ricasso is stamped with the trademark Alcoso used from 1937-1939. It depicts the scales with the firm's initials, ACS interspersed. Above is the firm's name, Alcoso in script in an arch shape and below the town of business, SOLINGEN, the legendary "City of Blades" in Western Germany.

Alcoso was originally a trade name of Alexander Coppel & Co. KG, Stahlwarenfabrik, located in Solingen, the legendary German "City of Blades." The company was a major manufacturer of edged weapons and tools from the end of the 19th century up until the WWII period. Unfortunately, as NSDAP-control increased, brothers Carl Gustav and Dr. Alexander Coppel, the Jewish owners of the firm, were forced out. In 1936 the firm had been "Aryanized", and started using the name ALCOSO to hide the Jewish family name. By the end of 1936 the brothers were ejected from their Solingen offices, and by 1940 the brand trademark initials ACS were changed to AWS to reflect the change in ownership and name: Alexander Coppel Solingen to Alcoso-Werk Solingen. Carl Gustav Coppel committed suicide in Solingen in 1941, and Dr. Alexander Coppel was arrested in 1942 and sent to Theresienstadt Prison camp, where he died August 5th 1942.

Comes complete with genuine original hangers that are in very good condition with no major tears, and great velvet backing. The Buckles and other hardware seems to be zinc, and the clips are marked D.R.G.M. on the back, indicating they are a trademarked design. The back of the belt clip also has the RZM logo next to U. E. 10. "U.E" indicates Uniformeffekten Erlaubnißschein, (Uniform Accessories Licence), and the manufacturer’s numerical code, "10". It appears the combined RZM/U.E., markings were utilized circa May 1933 to March 1935. These were used when the RZM was still being officially organized.

This really is a really great 2nd Model Luftwaffe Dagger, offered in nice condition with hanger and portepee, ready to display!