German SA Dagger – Spaltender, Munich

Product Description: This German SA Dagger is a desirable, early example. The maker mark on the ricasso of the blade is for Spaltender in Munich, a hard to find and fairly unusual Munich maker that ranks an 8 out of 10 on the McSarr rarity scale. The blade is decent, with some cross-graining as well as light patina. The blade shows scattered freckling and typical runner marks from being in and out of the scabbard. The very tip of the blade has been rather crudely re-tipped at some point in the past. The handle is very nice on this one. The rosewood grip shows beautiful red tones, and has no chips, and just a couple of minor hairline cracks. The typical solid nickel fittings show a nice patina throughout. The early type nickel eagle and enamel SA roundel on the grip remain intact. This German SA Dagger is complete with its original early type anodized scabbard. The scabbard shows some age and wear, with patina throughout and light freckling. The solid nickel fittings on the scabbard show a nice patina that perfectly matches the dagger’s fittings. The scabbard is nice and straight, though the ball at the tip of the lower drag is dented in, as is so often the case. This is a complete and overall sound example of an SA dagger, by a rare maker. The condition rates as very good.

Historical Description: The “Sturmabteilung” (SA), formed in 1921, was the original paramilitary branch of the Nazi party. With the Nazi rise to power in 1933, a dress dagger was introduced for wear with the iconic “brown shirt” uniform. As the SA was a huge organization, with an eventual strength of close to three million men, there was a huge demand for these daggers, and they were produced by 123 different makers, from larger factories to small, cottage-industry workshops. The daggers featured a wood grip with an inset enameled SA emblem and the German national eagle and swastika emblem. The blade was etched with the motto of the SA, “Alles für Deutschland.” The early daggers were crafted with the utmost quality, in both workmanship and materials. Originally, the name and logo of each manufacturer was etched on the reverse of the blade. These early daggers featured hand-fitted nickel silver fittings, and scabbards that had an anodized coating. Prior to around 1935, the daggers were stamped with an SA group letter on the reverse of the crossguard. In 1936, the Reichszeugmeisterie der NSDAP (RZM) organization began to standardize the manufacture of the SA dagger. Commercial type manufacturer markings were to be eliminated and replaced with the RZM logo, as well as an RZM code, to indicate the manufacturer. Late production daggers marked with RZM logos usually are made with plated zinc fittings and have aluminum grip eagles. Instead of the early anodizing process, later scabbards were simply painted. During the transitional period around 1936, many daggers were manufactured bearing the RZM logo and maker code in combination with the earlier type maker names and logos. These transitional daggers can be found with early or late features, or a mix of both.

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