Original German WWII Army Heer Officer Dagger with Scabbard and Portepee - Unmarked Blade

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very good condition Army Officer's Dagger, complete with its original scabbard and portepee knot. The blade on this example is unmarked, but this is not unusual, as many smaller outfitters would purchase finished blades and blade blanks from major factories, and then fit the blades themselves. We did remove the pommel nut and check the tang, and there are no markings that we can see.

The fittings on the blade look to be made from aluminum alloy, which was probably originally silver plated and antiqued, however most of that finish has been worn away. The pommel of this dagger is in very good condition, showing light overall wear, and some remnants of the original plating in the recesses of the design. The standing oak leaves and acorns on the sides are crisply detailed and have good backgrounds. The cross guard, like the pommel, has little of the original plating remaining, probably from years of cleaning. The details throughout the characteristic eagle are great throughout the head, breast and wing feathering, talons and wreathed mobile swas (hook cross). The grip ferrule is steel, originally plated but now displaying an oxidized patina.

Unlike most we see, the celluloid covered wooden grip on this dagger has not faded very far from the original ivory color, and really looks great! These very often fade to orange or even brown due to light exposure over the years, but this example has a nice aged bone or ivory color. There is just a bit of staining in the grooves, but no cracks or chunks missing, and it really looks great. The original blade buffer is still present in the recesses of the guard, however the grip is loose on the tang, and the pommel is fully tightened, so the grip probably has shrunken a bit over the years.

Wrapped around the grip and cross guard is an original aluminum bullion thread portepee (sword knot), tied in the Heer fashion. It is in very good condition, looking to have been fitted to the dagger for quite some time. There is some fraying in areas, which has exposed the internal cords. We can also see some glue repairs, which were painted silver to blend in better with the bullion.

The very good condition blade is bright and shiny, showing some small areas of oxidation and light staining on the surface. The original factory final grind cross grain is visible throughout the blade, something we rarely see! This texture is iconic, and is the definitive identifying characteristic for a real WWII German Blade. The edge is correctly unsharpened, and we do not see any bends to the tip or nicks in the edge. There is the expected runner wear from the scabbard, but overall this really is well above average.

The scabbard is a fine straight example with no major dents or bends, and is made from steel with what looks to be silver plating, possibly over a nickel flash coating, which is still very well retained and bright. There are just a few scuffs and areas where the plating has been abraded, allowing the steel to oxidize. This scabbard has very crisp, finely grained pebbled panels. The zinc alloy carrying bands have an excellent pattern of overlapping oak leaves and acorns, which are nicely enhanced, though they have lost their plating and now show a grey oxidized patina. The throat is the thinner style, and has a single flush mount screw on the front of the scabbard.

A lovely example of an Army Officer Dagger with a great blade, complete with the original scabbard and portepee! Ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 10"
Blade Style: Spear Point Dagger
Overall length: 14 5/8“
Crossguard: 2 3/4”
Scabbard Length: 11"

The German Army (Heer) first carried a dagger beginning in 1935. The weapon was worn in lieu of occasions not demanding the wearing of a more formal sword. The dagger design was quite attractive featuring silvered heavy fittings with white or colored grip. The crossguard depicted a Wehrmacht open-winged eagle clutching a wreathed swas.

The pommel depicted oak leafing around the outer circumference. The scabbard had panels of pebble designs. Later produced examples were plated with nickel, and late war-made pieces were unplated, finished in a gray color metal. These daggers are often encountered with an aluminum portepee.