Germany, Kriegsmarine. A Mint Officer’s Dress Dagger, by Carl Eickhorn

(Kriegsmarine Dolch für Offiziere). An extremely well-preserved Kriegsmarine Officer’s dress dagger, measuring 42.5 cm in total length when inserted into the scabbard. It features a 25.5 cm-long, nickel-plated, magnetic steel blade with a sharpened tip and with dual narrow fullers running the majority of the length of each side. Acid-etched decorations are visible on both the obverse and reverse, and consist of central fouled anchors flanked by arabesque and serpentine imagery. The reverse ricasso bears a maker’s mark of “ORIGINAL EICKHORN, SOLINGEN”, circumscribing the firm’s classic logo of a squirrel clutching a sword. The blade sits securely within a gilded bronze crossguard which bears double-sided central fouled anchors, with an intact brown wool buffer pad covering the seam. Inset into the reverse of the crossguard is a functional push-button release connecting to a clip which emanates from the ricasso to release the scabbard lock. A single piece of ribbed white celluloid composes the handle grip, with the ribbing retaining an original twisted and rolled bronze wire cord. The dagger completes with a gilded bronze pommel in the form of a German national eagle perched on top of a wreathed mobile swastika, screwing in to maintain the dagger’s structural integrity. Wrapped around the crossguard and pommel is a matching portepee, consisting of a stylized silver aluminum wire acorn suspended from a cord of identical construction. Accompanying the dagger is its original scabbard, constructed of a gilded bronze shaft with etched designs distributed around the outer circumference. Dual integral oak leaf bands are situated just below the throat, each retaining loops for the accommodation of a hanger. A functional catch situated within the throat locks onto the scabbard’s clip to firmly hold the dagger in place during storage. Demonstrating not notable signs of damage or wear, this dagger is a rare example in a near mint condition.