Original Item: Only One Available. This is an excellent early pattern NSKK Dagger, made by the legendary firm Carl Eickhorn of Solingen. It comes comes compete with an original belt hanger and scabbard, which looks to be a later pattern wartime replacement. It is very possible that this was originally an SA dagger, which are identical to the NSKK dagger except for the finish color on the scabbard.

The dagger has solid nickel silver fittings throughout, and is a really nice example. The cross guards and tang nut are in very good condition throughout with all fittings having a nice lightly aged patina. There is some age to these mounts but there is no lifting anywhere, showing that they are solid and not plated. The lower reverse guard is Gruppe/Gau marked Wf, for Westfalen (Westphalia), which encompassed the area near Cologne, very close to Solingen. This feature was only seen on daggers produced 1935 and prior. The nickel alloy pommel nut is in great shape, only minor signs of turning on the hexagonal portion, and the handle is still tight on the tang.

The grip is a fine product having a lovely deep red mahogany color, with medium center ridge construction, showing just a bit of wear and a few small dents. The symbol button is nicely set, and still has almost all of the translucent enamel intact, showing light wear to the surface. The plating looks to be fully intact, but it is silver, so it has discolored due to tarnishing. The grip eagle is a fine example being the style with beak that points straight. Most of the details are still there to the eagle to include the beak, breast feathering, wing feathering, talons, wreath and mobile swas. There is a bit of wear and oxidation, showing that is the correct solid nickel silver for an early pattern eagle.

The blade of this example is in very good near excellent condition and has virtually all of its factory final polish grind crossgrain present. This texture is iconic, and is the definitive identifying characteristic for a real WWII German Blade. There are a few small areas of light oxidation, but aside from that it looks great, and the original factory edge is still intact, as is the tip. There is just a tiny bit of runner wear, as well as some swirl marks from past cleaning. The acid-etched Alles für Deutschland (Everything for Germany) SA motto is crisp, and the factory darkening retained at about 75%.

The rear ricasso of the blade is stamped with the Carl Eickhorn 1933-35 style double oval trademark logo. It features the trademark squirrel looking to the viewer's left over C.E., surrounded by the first oval. Inside the second oval is CARL EICKHORN above and SOLINGEN below, with stars in between. This is one of several similar but not identical Trademark logos Eickhorn used during this period. According to J. Anthony Carter's book, GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS, this company was founded in 1865 by Carl Eickhorn, and is arguably the most famous of all Solingen makers. Not only could the family trace their history back 500 years, but they could also demonstrate involvement in the hardening and grinding industries for the same period. Truly the nobility of Solingen Edged weapon dynasties. Eickhorn edged weapons are the most desirable of all makers.

The scabbard shell is straight throughout and is the mid-war style, which has a black enamel lacquered steel body. The enamel shows checking and crazing from age, with a bit of chipping but no signs of having been repainted at any time. The upper and lower fittings are nickel-plated steel, and show just a bit plating loss and oxidation from use. The lower ball of the chape shows just a few small dents, and all four dome headed screws are still present.

Attached to the hanger ring on the scabbard is a very nice later pattern belt hanger, with nickel plated steel hardware and black finished leather. The leather is in good condition, showing a wear and wrinkling to the finish, with a crack in the finish around the scabbard ring. It is maker marked (RZM) L2 / 338 / 41, indicating 1941 manufacture, though we cannot identify the maker. The fully functional spring clip on the end is marked with (RZM) code M5 / 71 for Overhoff & Cie. of Lüdenscheid, whose OLC in a diamond trademark is also present.

A lovely early wartime NSKK dagger with a fantastic blade, made by the most legendary of all Solingen makers! Complete with a replacement scabbard and hanger, this dagger is ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 8 3/4"
Overall length: 13 3/4”
Crossguard: 3”
Scabbard Length: 10”

History of the SA & NSKK-

The SA or Brown Shirts, were a private political formation which Adolf AH and the NSDAP used to maintain order at organized Party meetings and demonstrations. The group was formed in 1921, and grew to a huge force of nearly 3,000,000 men by the later 1930's. To instill esprit de corps, as well as create employment for the Blade City of Solingen, it was decided each SA man would carry a dagger with his Brown Shirt uniform. Huge quantities needed to be produced to accommodate the demand. The dagger initially was produced of hand-fitted nickel mounts with attractive finished wood grip and brown anodized (a bluing process) finished scabbard.

The blade was etched with the SA motto, Alles für Deutschland. Examples produced prior to 1935 were stamped with the German sector of the SA group on reverse lower crossguard. Later examples underwent standardization through the RZM ministry. These pieces were produced of cheaper plated zinc-base fittings and scabbards were simply painted brown.

Prior to his "unmasking" as a traitor, Ernst Röhm was the leader of the SA. In 1934, he distributed approximately 100,000 SA daggers with his personal inscription on the reverse blade. These daggers were to honor individuals who had served with the SA prior to December, 1931. Other than the inscription, these pieces were identical to the standard M1933 SA dagger. After the Röhm purge, the inscription was ordered to be removed. Many examples were returned to the factory for grinding. Others were simply ground in the field by whatever means were available. Examples will occasionally be encountered with remnants of the original inscription remaining on the blade, but mostly none will remain. Some blades exist with an intact inscription, reflecting only the removal of the Röhm signature. Very very rarely is an example seen with a full, untouched inscription, as the holder would have surely risked a charge of treason.

After the purge, the NSKK, which had been a part of the SA, was split off into a separate organization. They retained the same daggers as the SA, however now used a black painted scabbard, and their officer's daggers had a few differences as well. Many already had SA daggers, so these had the scabbards painted black over the original brown anodized finish.