Description
Product Description: A very nice untouched Eickhorn SS Dagger. This Eickhorn SS Dagger is in overall excellent condition. The blade retains nearly all of its factory cross-graining along the lenght of the blade, and has only minor freckling in areas. One small bump on the cutting edge. The blade is acid etched with the well known maker’s mark, the small Eickhorn logo. The upper and lower cross-guards are produced of solid nickel silver and have developed a rich patina throughout, from remaining untouched and unaltered over the decades. The black wooden ebony grip features a nice inset nickel silver eagle and enamel SS roundel. The grip has a very small hairline crack near the lower guard on the obverse, and a very small chip on the upper reverse. I want to note that many of these untouched daggers can be found with small chips near the guards. This is mostly due to the fact that each of these grips on the early daggers were expertly hand fitted to the guards and, if tightly fitted, can possibly swell and crack from expansion and contraction if subjected to high humidity and temperature changes. The pommel nut appears untouched. The black anodized scabbard body retains most of its factory anodizing as well as the original “Zapon” lacquer. The upper throat and lower drag fittings are made of solid nickel silver and both have the same dark uncleaned patina, like that of the blade’s guards. The scabbard has an original black leather SS vertical hanger affixed, and appears to have been attached for a very long time. The hanger has even wear throughout. These early SS daggers are tough to find in untouched states. This is a very nice example of an Early Eickhorn SS Dagger.
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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