Heer Officer Dagger

Product Description: This Heer Officer Dagger is a nice, honest example of a late-war production piece. The blade remains in excellent condition. There are a few minor spots of surface age, with slight graying and speckling, and a couple of normal runner scratches. The edges of the blade remain very crisp, with a perfect tip. There is no maker mark, but the fittings suggest this piece was made by WKC. The original pebbled leather scabbard buffer remains intact. The metal fittings on the handle are zinc based, and have mostly reverted to the dull color of the base metal. The crossguard is a generic Type A, and the pommel has 12 leaves, textbook for WKC. The beautiful white Type C grip retains in very good condition, without cracks or any damage at all. This Heer Officer Dagger is complete with its original scabbard. The scabbard is nice and straight, with no dents, and is correct for this type, with a pressed-in throat and no scabbard screws. All of the metal fittings on this dagger have a perfectly matching patina, and all of the fittings are tight, with no indication this has ever been disassembled. This dagger has lots of character and charm and is a very appealing representative piece. The condition rates as excellent.

Historical Description: After WWI, the German military, known as the Reichswehr, was restricted to a relatively small force. Hitler changed this in 1935, reintroducing universal military conscription, and creating a new German Armed Forces- the Wehrmacht. Within the Wehrmacht, the German Army was known as the Heer, and a new dagger was designed and introduced for the officers of this new German Army in May 1935. As with all German Army officer uniforms and accoutrements, they were not issued; rather, the officer had to purchase them. These were ceremonial and decorative pieces of regalia, that were worn on occasions that did not call for carrying a sword. The overall pattern and design of the dagger remained consistent throughout the production run, but the large number of individual manufacturers created a wide variety in detail, especially regarding the handle fittings. There were approximately 42 different manufacturers of the blades. There were construction changes over time as well. Early German Army daggers generally featured plated brass alloy handle fittings. Later, zinc was used. Wartime type scabbards were generally unplated, with a gray finish. Production of German Army daggers ceased around 1943. The German Army was a huge organization, and large numbers of these daggers were produced. But there were many specific variants that were produced in low numbers, especially the highest quality, luxury type pieces for well-heeled officers. Some daggers were personalized, and customized, and are unique. The striking and attractive design of the German Army dagger was well-received by officers at the time, and these are very sought-after by collectors today.

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