Alcoso Navy Dress Dagger

Product Description: This Alcoso Navy Dress Dagger is a worn piece, with character. It’s got a great blade, that retains all of the original nickel plating. The blade is nicely etched with a naval motif, and is still bright. The ricasso is stamped with the commercial type “scales” maker mark of Alcoso. The handle on this one has a great look, with a nice dark pumpkin orange Trylon grip that has no cracks, chips or other visible damage. The grip wire is nice and tight. The pommel and crossguard are made of brass, and retain approximately 60 percent of the original gilt finish, with even wear. The push button release on the crossguard is missing and has been fitted with a simple nut. This Alcoso Navy Dress Dagger is complete with its original scabbard, which is also made of brass. The scabbard retains approximately 50% of the original gilding, with remnants of a white residue in the recesses. There are a few small dents in the scabbard, nothing that affects the function. Both of the original suspension rings on the scabbard are intact. This dagger has a great overall look, and is in very good condition.

Historical Description: The German Navy adopted the use of a dress dagger for its officers in the 19th century. In 1935, the Nazi leadership reintroduced universal conscription for German men as part of a plan to greatly expand German military power. The German Navy became part of the new Wehrmacht and was renamed the “Kriegsmarine.” The leadership of the Kriegsmarine was largely very traditional and initially retained many pre-Nazi traditions including the traditional dress dagger which was unchanged since WWI. But in 1938, a new dagger was introduced for the Kriegsmarine, that bore the Nazi swastika emblem. This pattern of dress dagger is known today as the Second Model Navy Dagger. The earlier “flaming ball” device used on the first model pommel was replaced with a German national eagle emblem clutching a wreathed swastika. The crossguard on the second model Navy dagger was longer than that found on the first pattern. The standard blade was acid etched with a fouled anchor and ornate foliage pattern. Because it was expected that these daggers would be worn at sea, all parts with the exception of the blade were initially made from brass. The Second Model Navy Dagger was made by more than a dozen manufacturers in a number of variants until the end of WWII. As with all officer dress daggers, they were not issued, but were private purchase items. Officers could customize these to suit their own tastes by upgrading them and customizing them in various ways.

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