Dagger collection - review needed!

**saber** · 03-16-2012, 03:24 PM

Hello folks,
Am a newbie here but am absolutely enjoying the wealth of knowledge that's being shared on this forum!
I recently acquired a collection of knives and daggers from an immigrated German soldier's household, and am looking to get an insight on their authenticity. Would appreciate if anyone could review them and let me know their thoughts.
I'll start by posting a few pics straight from my iPhone (can post better resolution later, if needed) of a Heer dagger (Solingen Puma) and an army officer's dagger.
Thanks in advance!

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 03-16-2012 03:24 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**rbminis** · 03-16-2012, 03:30 PM

The dress bayonet is made by Anton Wingen Jr. and has had the grips replaced. The Puma Army officers dagger has been neglected some and has had a hole drilled in the back of the cross guard to mount on a display.
Hope this helps,
Ralph.

**KradSpam** · 03-16-2012, 03:32 PM

Hi, and welcome to the forum,

What you have there is a Heer (Army) Officers dagger at the top, and a K98 dress bayonet below. Both seem OK from the pics so far, but better pics would be good. The Heer dagger is missing one of the hanger loops from the scabbard, and the hole in the back of the crossguard should not be there. The bayonet would normally have stag horn handled grips, I'm not sure if these ones are original.

**Adrian Stevenson** · 03-16-2012, 04:59 PM

Hi, I agree with the guys observations here.

The red felt insert to the bayonet slot is for as follows: these are colour coded but only broadly:

1. Armed forces in General = Red
2. Jager Formations = Green
3. Aviation troops = Golden Yellow
4. Aviation supervisory troops = Green
5. Aviation Comms troops = Brown
6. Flak formations = Red

Cheers, Ade.

**gerrit** · 03-17-2012, 09:43 AM

Thx Ade,

i never knew the felt color displayed a branch! only saw them in red, assumed it was the common color.

proost,
Ger

**Larry C** · 03-17-2012, 11:17 AM

Separate and apart form the examples listed above... it is ashame to see a collectible with a hole drilled into it to hang or afix to a wall or display. There are definitely alternative ways to display an artifact. That one hole even if the dagger was mint or near mint,, would depreciate the value immensely by hundreds of dollars!! Although still a piece of history and it still could be displayed hiding the hole.
Nice finds anyway Saber!! Regards Larry

**CakeEater** · 03-22-2012, 04:49 AM

It is a shame about the mount hole, but nice acquisition all the same. Now you just need to locate the Hanger and Portepee with the family. LoL

**BOB COLEMAN** · 03-22-2012, 05:14 AM

This is just a thought but when seeing the hole in the army dagger crossguard, I immediately thought it might have been from a coat of arms that was removed before the dagger was surrendered.

**CakeEater** · 03-22-2012, 05:41 AM

It is very possible that at some point it was part of a family coat of arms and then specifically removed as not to be reminded of the past.

Either way for collectors it is a shame and for who ever drilled the hole... they probably thought it was a very good idea at the time. LoL

by BOB COLEMAN

This is just a thought but when seeing the hole in the army dagger crossguard, I immediately thought it might have been from a coat of arms that was removed before the dagger was surrendered.