Heer Officer Dagger – Alcoso

Product Description: This Heer Officer Dagger is a nice, maker marked and all-original piece by Alcoso. The blade remains in excellent condition. The surface shows some minor age and greying, with a couple of runner scratches. There are no edge nicks, and the tip remains perfect. The ricasso is neatly etched with the third pattern “scales” maker mark of Alcoso. The original pebbled leather scabbard buffer remains intact. The handle on this dagger is beautiful, and is correct for this maker in all details. The type 3 Alcoso crossguard and 12 leaves pommel show nice detail and finish, with some wear. The desirable Type B slant grip is a beautiful orange color, and remains in very good condition without cracks or any damage at all. The surface shows a mellow, slight patina. The handle is complete with an original Portepee that shows heavy wear and fraying. This Heer Officer Dagger is complete with its original scabbard, which has two flat side screws. The scabbard shows lovely toning to the original finish, and is complete and sound, with no dents.  This dagger has a very nice matching patina on all fittings, and is tight throughout, with no indication this has ever been disassembled. 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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