Germany, Luftwaffe. An Officer’s Dress Dagger, With Hanger, By Alcoso

(Luftwaffe Dolch für Offizier mit Gehänge). A Luftwaffe Officer’s dress dagger, measuring 43 cm in total length when inserted into the scabbard. It features a 26 cm-long, nickel-plated, magnetic steel blade with a sharpened tip and edges. The blade is plain with the exception of a maker’s mark on the reverse ricasso reading “ALCOSO, SOLINGEN”, for the former firm of Alexander Coppel, flanked by the company’s classic scale logo. The blade sits securely within a silvered zink alloy crossguard, the obverse of which bears a raised Luftwaffe eagle clutching a mobile swastika, with the seam covered by an intact black leather buffer pad. The handle grip is composed of a single piece of ribbed off-white celluloid, with the ribbing retaining an original silver wire cord. A rounded pommel bearing a double-sided wreathed mobile swastika completes the dagger, screwing in to maintain its structural integrity. It is accompanied by its original scabbard, constructed of a pebbled magnetic metal shaft. The upper third of the shaft has two integral oak leaf bands with loops for the accommodation of a hanger. A functional spring catch retained within the throat securely holds the dagger in place during storage. Issues consistent with age and wear are evident, and include running marks and tarnishing of the blade, loss of finish to the zink fixtures, some cracking of the handle grip, and surface oxidation of the scabbard shaft. The dagger remains in a very fine condition.

It is also accompanied by a matching hanger, consisting of a gilded zink spring clip from which two loops emanate at the bottom edge. Descending from the loops are dark grey doeskin straps topped by dark grey rayon threading, in turn flanked by silver aluminum wire tresses. Each strap is adjusted with a functional gilded zink buckle, and completes with functional gilded zink spring clips to lock onto the scabbard’s loops. The uniform clip bears a Reichszeugmeisterei (RZM) logo and code “U.E. 10” for an unconfirmed manufacturer. Measuring 27 cm in total length as presented, the hanger demonstrates loss of finish to the zink fixtures and is in a better than very fine condition.