Original Item: Only One Available. This is a great example of a mid-war production 2nd Model Luftwaffe dagger. It is a fine Solingen-Produced example made by the well known firm of E. & F. Hörster. The celluloid grip of this dagger is a nice ivory color, which has not faded to orange or brown like so many do. It has a nice slightly tapered shape, and is tightly wrapped with twisted wires. There is no cracking we can see, just some scuffs and stains.

The hilt mounts are in similar condition with a lovely patina of age. The pommel is very good and still shows most of the original detail.  The "mobile" swass on both sides are clear and the oak leaves around them are raised out and heavily hand enhanced. The pommel appears to be solid aluminum, which was given a dark finish overall, with the raised areas polished.. It does have a bit of wear around the edges. 

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 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 great 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, which is still clear. The ferrule looks to be zinc, and it is still in very good condition.

The blade on this example is not nickel plated, which is common for later produced blades. The reverse ricasso of this dagger is acid etched with maker name E. & F. HÖRSTER / SOLINGEN in an oval "lozenge" around the company's trademark downward pointing sword piercing interlocking HHS initials. E. & F. Hörster & Co Gmbh, is a well-known maker from Solingen, the famous "City of Blades" in Western Germany, which marketed many fine edged weapons. Originally founded in 1850 as "Friedrich Hörster" in 1850, the company was renamed to E. & F. Hörster in 1870 at the behest of Friedrich Emil & Fritz Hörster. The firm lasted long after WWII, finally being declared insolvent in 1996. For more information please see GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS by J. Anthony Carter. 

The blade is in very good condition, and bright, though it has been polished and cleaned over the years, removing all of the factory cross grain. There is some runner wear and areas of light staining. The tip is as straight as any we have ever seen, and the edge is still in the correct factory unsharpened state.

This steel scabbard is in very good condition, dent free and with a lot of the original plating intact. The hanger bands are plated zinc alloy, and are well defined and have hand enhanced oak leaves tipped at a 45 degree angle. The throat is retained by a single flathead screw on the rear, and is the narrower version seen. The screws do not appear to have been messed with at all.

This really is a very nice 2nd Model Luftwaffe Dagger, made by a well-known maker and offered in very good condition, ready to display!

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