Item:
ON1278

Original WWII German Army Heer Officer Dagger with Hangers and Portepee - Named USGI Bring Back

Item Description

Original Item: Only One Available. This German WW2 Army Officer's Dagger is lovely, and would be a worth addition to any collection. The pommel of this dagger is in nice condition. The standing oak leaves and acorns are crisply detailed and have good black backgrounds.

The crossguard retains much silvering and has a fine patination. The details throughout the eagle are still present with some very little wear, amd the breast and wing feathering, talons and wreathed mobile swas are all detailed well, though the swas is missing some plating. Also the edge of the cross guard next to the portepee has lost most of the plating due to wear. TheThe grip is a great ivory color, and has not turned orange over the decades. This grip is in very choice condition with some minor imperfections.

The scabbard is a classic example, with much of the silvering and some of the frosting along the edges. This scabbard has minor imperfections but is still has crisp finely grained panels. The carrying bands have an excellent pattern of overlapping oak leaves and acorns, with hand enhancing evident on each of the leaves. The throat is the thinner style and is held in place by a single screw.

Attached to the scabbard is a lovely condition belt hanger, with the buckles clips bearing the "barred A" trademark, of F. W. Assmann & Söhne of Lüdenscheid, a large maker of belts, buttons, and other accoutrements. This hanger is the best we have ever seen, with only minor wear. The fabric is in solid condition, and the velvet reverse is almost completely intact.

The very good condition blade is mostly bright throughout, having a good deal of the original cross grain. There is runner wear as well as some staining, but no major pitting or other corrosion. The needle-like tip is still intact. The bade is not maker marked and a large size leather blade washer is in place. Additionally, an engraving pen was used to mark the Army Serial Number Charles Rotter, the soldier that brought them back: CO 324247207.

CW4 Charles G. Rotter USA who in his long career patrolled the US/Mexico border on horseback as a Cavalryman, served as an M4 Tank Commander in WWII, missed Korea, and served in Vietnam as a Logistician to include supporting Montagnard tribes fighting alongside the US SF troops. A fascinating professional soldier who followed his military time by serving a second career as a Zookeeper at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, CO.

Overall an excellent example of a hard to find dagger offered at a nice price, personalized to the soldier who brought it back from Germany.

More on the German Army (Heer) Dagger:

The German Army (Heer) first carried a dagger beginning in 1935. The weapon was worn in lieu of the sword on less formal occasions that did not demand the full length sword. The dagger design was quite attractive featuring silvered heavy fittings with white or colored grip. The crossguard depicted a Wehrmacht open-winged eagle clutching a wreathed swas.

The pommel depicted oak leafing around the outer circumference. The scabbard had panels of pebble designs. Later produced examples were plated with nickel, and late war-made pieces were unplated, finished in a gray color metal. These daggers are often encountered with an aluminum portepee (sword knot).

There were many makers of these daggers, and not all would put maker marks on their blades, so unmarked examples are common. The factory cross-grain however is distinctive, and impossible to duplicate.

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