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

(Kriegsmarine Dolch für Offiziere). A very well-preserved Kriegsmarine Officer’s dagger, measuring 42 cm in total length when inserted into the scabbard. It features a 25 cm-long, nickel-plated, magnetic steel blade with a sharpened tip and with dual narrow fullers running approximately two-thirds of the length of each side. The blade bears double-sided, acid-etched imagery consisting of central fouled anchors situated within arabesque and serpentine designs. The reverse ricasso displays 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, bearing double-sided central fouled anchors, the reverse of which is inset with a functional push-button release connecting to a clip which emanates from the ricasso to release the dagger’s scabbard lock. An intact brown wool buffer pad covering the seam where the blade meets the crossguard. A single piece of ribbed off-white celluloid composes the handle grip, with the ribbing retaining an original twisted and rolled 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. It is accompanied by its original scabbard, constructed of a gilded bronze shaft with etched designs distributed around the outer circumference. The upper third of the shaft has two integral oak leaf bands retaining loops for the accommodation of a hanger. The throat retains a functional catch to lock onto the blade’s clip. Minor issues consistent with age and wear are evident, and include running marks and slight tarnishing to the blade, and some denting to the scabbard. It remains in a near extremely fine condition.