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

(Kriegsmarine Dolch für Offiziere). A very well-preserved Kriegsmarine Officer’s dress dagger, measuring 41.5 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 extending approximately two-thirds of the length of the blade. The obverse ricasso bears a maker’s mark of “ORIGINAL EICKHORN, SOLINGEN”, topped by the firm’s classic squirrel logo. The blade sits securely within a gilded bronze crossguard, bearing double-sided central fouled anchors, with the obverse inset within  functional push-button spring release connecting to a clip which emanates from the ricasso. The handle grip is composed of a single piece of ribbed white celluloid, with the ribbon 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. Two integral oak leaf bands are set into the upper third of the shaft, 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 some running marks to the blade, bending of the tip, and loss of finish to the gilded elements. It remains in a near extremely fine condition.