Description
Product Description: This early Klaas SS Dagger is a beautiful piece, with an untouched look and great visual appeal. The blade is very nice, with nearly all of the original factory cross-graining intact. It shows some age, with runner marks and small areas of graying and freckling. The motto is crisply etched. The reverse ricasso is neatly etched with the commercial style “kissing cranes” emblem of Robert Klaas. This dagger has a beautiful handle with correct early solid nickel guards. The lower guard has an “I” district mark, for Munich. The black ebony grip shows honest wear to the surface, but no damage, and is nicely fitted to the guards. The early nickel grip eagle shows an uncleaned patina. The enameled SS roundel shows nice contrast and no issues. The pommel nut shows no sign of having been turned after leaving the factory. This desirable early early Klaas SS Dagger is complete with its original scabbard. The steel scabbard body has a correct early black anodized finish, and most of the original Zapon lacquer is still present. The solid nickel drag and throat fittings match the dagger’s guards perfectly. The suspension ring retains a great black leather hanger. The hanger is nicely marked with the SS and RZM emblems and the maker code “68/38.” The metal fittings have bright shine to the plating and the spring clip is marked for Assmann with their RZM code. This dagger presents extremely well and is in excellent plus condition.
Historical Description: The Model 1933 (M33) SS dagger was first serviceable dagger produced for the SS. The design was derived from a 16thcentury Swiss hunting dagger called the “Holbein”. The M33 SS Dagger was worn by all ranks within the SS. Becoming a member of the SS was held in high respect during the Third Reich, and their daggers became a symbolic piece within its ranks. Every year on November 9th, the new SS men would pledge their full allegiance to the Führer (Adolf Hitler) in front of the Feldherrnhalle monument in Munich and receive their dagger as a symbol of that oath. The inscription on the blade “Mein Ehre Heißt Treue”, which translates to “My Honor is Loyalty”, was the motto of the SS.
Manufacturing for these daggers began late in 1933 and continued until 1942 when production of all daggers ceased to conserve materials and labor for the war effort. Today, collectors categorize these daggers into three main categories; Early, Transitional, and Late period. SS daggers produced from 1933 to early 1935 are early and have anodized scabbards, nickel fittings, and are generally of a higher workmanship. Transitional period daggers were produced from 1935 to 1938, are usually found with painted scabbards, plated fittings and RZM codes with their makers logo on the blade. Late period daggers were produced from 1938 to 1942 and are similar to the transitional period daggers in that they use plated fittings, painted scabbards but will only be found with the RZM logo and code on the blade.
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