Germany, Luftwaffe. A Personalized Officer’s Dagger, Published Example, By Stöcker & Co.

(Luftwaffe Offiziersdolch). A rare and published example of a Luftwaffe Officer’s dagger, measuring 430 mm in total length when inserted into the scabbard. It features a 265 mm-long polished magnetic steel blade with a sharpened tip and semi-sharpened edges. The obverse of the blade features a central acid-etched inscription of “E. VOM EIGEN”, flanked on each side by oak leaf branches. The reverse bears a maker’s mark near the ricasso of “SMF, SOLINGEN” for the firm of Stöcker & Co., topped by the company’s stylized king logo. The blade sits securely within the nickel-plated upper crossguard, with the seam covered by an intact black leather buffer pad. A raised Luftwaffe eagle clutching a mobile swastika constitutes the obverse of the crossguard, while the reverse presents with a pebbled finish. A single piece of ribbed white celluloid comprises the handle grip, with the ribbon retaining a fully-intact twisted and rolled silver aluminum wire cord, with a silvered ring decorated along the circumference with oak leaves facilitates the transition between the crossguard and handle. Wrapped around the handle is a period original Officer’s portepee, consisting of a stylized silver aluminum wire acord suspended from a strap of identical construction. Completing the dagger is a rounded and nickel-plated pommel displaying a finely-detailed design in the form of double-sided gilt mobile swastikas within wreaths of oak leaves. It is accompanied by its period original scabbard of high-quality construction, consisting of a magnetic metal core with an outer layer of nickel-silver finished in a pebbled surface. The tip is adorned on both the obverse and reverse with raised oak leaves, while two integral bands set around the upper third of the dagger each retain loops for the accommodation of a dagger hanger. The throat is secured together with dual side rivets and retains a functional spring catch, securely holding the dagger in place during storage. Slight tarnishing and running marks are visible to the blade, and there is some fraying of the portepee’s wire, but this exquisite and reference guide-published example is in an overall extremely fine condition.

Footnote: Found on page 246 of Thomas T. Wittmann’s “Exploring the Dress Daggers of the German Luftwaffe” (1997), a photograph and description of this dagger is offered as a quintessential example of a privately-commissioned, customized Luftwaffe blade.