Original Item: Only One Available. This is a great example of a German WWII 2nd Model Luftwaffe dagger, made by the well-known Solingen-based firm of Clemen & Jung. The celluloid grip of this dagger has faded to a very light orange, and remains in very good condition throughout. This is very common due to exposure to light and air, which also can make the material brittle. It has a nice slightly tapered shape, and is wrapped tightly with twisted wire. There are no cracks or chips that we can see.

The hilt mounts are similarly great on this dagger. The solid aluminum pommel is crisp and excellent, with only minor wear to the edges, and good antiquing in the recesses. The "mobile" swass on both sides are clear, and the oak leaves around them are raised out and heavily hand enhanced. The crossguard is also 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 guard shows little wear and has great feathering on the eagle. The bird, of course, flies to the left and grasps a mobile swas (hook cross) in his talons. The reverse panel is decorated with small pebbling, which is a bit worn.

The ferrule looks to be plated steel, and it is still in very good condition. Tied around this is an original portepee, which is in very good condition, and tied in the Luftwaffe style. It does show a bit of light wear, but still looks great!

The front of the blade under the crossguard is marked with "Crowned Shield" trademark of Clemen & Jung Waffenfabrik (Weapons Factory) of Solingen, the legendary "City of Blades" in the mountains of Western Germany. Unfortunately due to the angle there is no way for us to photograph this. The other side of the blade is stamped with the maker name and location:

CLEMEN & JUNG
SOLINGEN

This company was founded in 1860, and rapidly gained numerous domestic and foreign contracts for edged weapons. They entered the Solingen Commercial Register in 1876, and in 1898 registered the "Crowned Shield" logo, which has the letter Z inside the shield. This previously had been another makers trademark, but it was transferred to Clemen & Jung. The company supplied many edged weapons for the First World War, and continued during the interwar period, and into the Third Reich period. Army & Luftwaffe Officer daggers and swords are specifically noted for having the "Crowned Shield" on one side of the blade, with the address mark stamped on the other. For more information please see GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS by J. Anthony Carter, pages 132-134.

The blade on this example is not nickel plated, which is common for the 2nd model dagger blades, and it is in fantastic condition. There is just a bit of light oxidation near the maker name, and a few areas of light scuffing. The blade is still correctly unsharpened, and the original factory final grind markings are still visible throughout the blade. The blade does not have the "crossgrain" seen on other daggers, which looks to be a known feature of Clemen & Jung daggers. The markings are still crisp with the "pillow" around the stamping, so the blade has not been resurfaced at all. The original leather blade buffer is still in place within the deep recesses of the guard.

This steel scabbard is in very good condition, dent free and with almost all of the original plating intact. The hanger bands look to be aluminum, and are well defined and have hand enhanced oak leaves tipped at a 45 degree angle. They do however show wear, and the harder steel rings themselves have worn into the fittings, indicating significant use. The throat is the wider version seen, secured by dome headed screws on the narrow sides of the scabbard.

Attached to the scabbard is a very good condition belt hanger, with functional pebbled spring clips with a great patina. The buckles and keepers are engraved with the same oak and acorn motif seen throughout the dagger. The straps are in very good condition, with the blue gray velvet on the back is retained about 90%, and the silver bullion front side showing light wear. There is some oxidation on the fittings, but that is to be expected. There are no signs of any type of repairs on the hanger, though the belt clip is a bit worn, and the clasp can slip outside of the hook at times.

This really is a great 2nd Model Luftwaffe dagger rig, made by a well-known Solingen maker and ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 10"
Overall length: 15 1/2”
Crossguard: 3 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 11 3/4”