2nd Model Luftwaffe Dagger – Asso

Product Description: This 2nd Model Luftwaffe Dagger is a very appealing piece, with no condition issues and a great look. It’s made by the firm of Arthur Schuttelhofer & Co, a tough maker of this dagger to find. The blade has nice luster, with typical graying marks as well as light graying in areas. It’s marked on the reverse ricasso with the “Asso” hobby-horses maker mark of Schuttelhofer, neatly etched. The buffer pad is present. The handle on this one has a stunning look, with a beautiful and desirable deep pumpkin colored grip. The correct springy grip wire is intact, and there are no cracks in the grip. The pommel and crossguard are nicely detailed, with a light, even age patina. This desirable 2nd Model Luftwaffe Dagger is complete with its original scabbard. The scabbard is complete and sound, with no dents or damage. There are some minor age spots to the finish, as well as a normal patina. This is a very handsome dagger, with a lot going for it. The condition rates as excellent.

Historical Description: The Luftwaffe dagger was a piece of regalia with a unique history. After WWI, Germany was prohibited from having an Air Force. In 1933, the Nazis formed the Deutscher Luftsport-Verband (DLV), which was a paramilitary aviation organization. DLV officers wore a long dagger. In 1935, in violation of the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler instituted the new German armed forces, the Wehrmacht. One of the branches of the Wehrmacht was the Luftwaffe. Luftwaffe officers at this time wore what we know as the first model Luftwaffe dagger. This was a shortened version of the earlier DLV dagger. It featured a scabbard covered in blue leather, and a blue, wire-wrapped grip. The crossguard featured a round, “sunwheel” type swastika, flanked by down swept, stylized “wings.” The pommel was in the form of a vertical disc, with another, larger “sunwheel” swastika. In 1937, the Luftwaffe instituted a new dagger form, known to collectors as the second model. This new dagger was similar to that worn by officers of the German Army. The second model had a metal scabbard with impressed decoration, and no leather covering. The crossguard bore a Luftwaffe eagle, clutching a swastika. The blue grip was replaced with one that was orange, white or yellow. The various types of grips were a matter of personal preference and did not indicate branch or rank. The pommel of the new dagger featured a swastika within an oak leaves motif. The blades of these daggers were steel, and many but not all were manufacturer marked.

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