The Tom Kendall Heer Collection and Military Antiques

[T Kendall]

Thanks allot guys I appreciate the comments it’s a great pleasure for me to share these daggers with other collectors.
Jon - I know you have a thing for the Horster 1st it’s really amazing how difficult this guard is to find on anything even a Horster !
Larry - It is quite a disappointing maker mark from an esthetic point of view.
Peter - The hunt certainly keeps us interested and moving forward looking for that rare or unknown variation.

[Panzersaurus]

I'm not a dagger collector (although I'd like to be!) but even I can recognize and appreciate the sheer scale and array of this amazing collection and the dedication of its collector. Thank you so much for making the picture of your collection public. An absolutely stunning collection. And don't even get me started with the waffenrocks...

[wagner]

Although G. Weyersberg is rated a '9' in rarity, I can't recall seeing one until now. congrats Tom.
Fantastic details on scarce army daggers here, with great photos - as usual.

-wagner-

[T Kendall]

I was fortunate to pick this special Puma up at the SOS on Saturday with the help of several other collectors who fortunately for me don’t collect heer daggers. My thanks to you guys - The guy in New York who found this on a table and allowed me to add it to my collection and the guy in Canada who helped with a few Benjamin’s. Funny story - I was walking around with my friend on Saturday both of us mostly spent out after several days of heavy shopping at the show when he called me over to this table with this dagger already in his hand while he was inspecting it. My first impression was what the …… the ugly yellowish white grip threw me for a second as I never expected to see one it actually took me a few minutes before I realized what treasure my friend had found then he turned it over and I saw the personalization …… While the seller knew the material of the grip he didn’t know just how rare they are in a slant variation. I have seen less then a handful of these grips and one other was also a Puma. While it’s not mint it’s been there and witnessed history having been carried by the wealthy Dr. Romer for many years as the dagger was likely produced some time between late 35 and late 36. The gent who sold the dagger bought it out of the vet’s basement and was selling it to finance another purchase. The dagger has beautiful Pack aluminum hilt fittings the crossguard features a unique hand enhancement style IMO done by Puma in house by one of their talented craftsman. I have seen several other aluminum hilt Puma’s with identical enhancements. The personalization was a huge bonus for me. I have looked in the 35 list with no success but the research on the Dr. continues I would love to put a name and service file with the dagger. I did find one Romer in the 35 list a Von Romer still looking into that possibility. Despite a few condition issues - blade is a bit gray and the scabbard has some plating issues to the lower area it’s all intact and overall quite a piece dare I say a wholly grail piece for the slant collector I feel fortunate all the stars aligned that Saturday in Louisville.

[Larry C]

Although G. Weyersberg is rated a '9' in rarity, I can't recall seeing one until now. congrats Tom.
Fantastic details on scarce army daggers here, with great photos - as usual.

-wagner-

The McSaar... list was created only or sightings of early SA daggers..and does not apply to any other branch of service. G. Weyersburg,,is a rare maker for sure..but can not be put into the same category and deemed as a certain raity number based on SA dagger sightings...this may be misleading to the readers who collect other dagger types. No other dagger types should be based on this SA list. Regards Larry

[PeterCollector]

Hi Tom another lovely example in nice condition. Just look at my common Generic PUMA which I bought and I still like it despite its condition If I scan daggers in your collection, I can only imagine what you mean, when you said - heavy shopping My wife allow me to purchase only few daggers per year

Regards Peter

[heers68]

Tom, I had forgot how nice the G. Weyersburg was!! One of the finest crossguards (one I need!) out there, and HARD to find! Patina along with the toned grip and super RARE maker, just beautiful..CONGRATS!

The Puma...forget it!! WOW, you know how I feel about this one, trifecta of doom when it comes to Heers! SLANT Ivory, Aluminum fittings and Named!! I would have had to put a second mortgage on my house if I walked up on this one! (thank God I didn't!!) becouse this can't be walked away from! I have never held a Ivory gripped Heer, is the grip heavy compared to Trolon? I bet it feels good in hand! Great show Tom! Kevin.

[T Kendall]

Thanks guys
Peter - The big shows are quite an experience 3 solid days of dagger overload! My wife gives me money to attend although I don’t think she’s too happy about it.
Kevin – I suspect a Horster Type-1 is on the horizon for you keep looking it is amazing how difficult they are to find. Regarding the Puma I would say no notable difference I have always been able to resist the regular grips of this type but when this slant appeared I knew I had to have it and thanks to some coaching from my friend the deal came together.

[Degens]

Tom,
It could not have gone to a finer army dagger collection........what a great piece. That grip is killer, how do the collars look?, have you had it apart. You mentioned the seller knew it was ivory, due to the colouration it could quite easily have been mistaken for trolon.
I think I also remember seeing the other ivory hilted slant Puma years ago, did it not have a pure white ivory grip?. It would make an interesting thread to try to ascertain exactly what makers did use ivory on their earliest army daggers, Eickhorn, Puma and Pack spring to mind.
Top notch army dagger and would be the centre piece of any collection, big and small, the fact it is personalised as well, is the icing on the cake. Green eyed and happy at the same time that it went to a colleague and World class collection.
As you said in the e-mail Tom, identical down to the ferrule >

p.s Larry, a rarity list exists for army daggers, drawn up by Denny Roach a few years back but very accurate in my opinion. G.Weyersburg is listed as a "9".

[T Kendall]

Jon
Thanks my friend the grip is frozen to the tang which is a good sign for me. With cracks on each side of the grip that have turned black over time they have been there so long I am afraid to force it off I don’t want to end up with a pile of fragments. I can tell you I was amazed at how the tang hole and pommel ridge fit so perfectly I suspect this grip was hand fit for the order. Interesting fact the WKC catalog shows the army officer dagger for 11.50 RM the same with an ivory grip is 20.30 RM so these grips were very expensive. The other Puma I know of is a real beauty it has what I call the early generic type-1 crossguard an early pommel and a beautiful patina as I remember the grip is pure white compared to mine which looks like a stained tooth (quite like it though) Great Idea on the thread I think a member here has an Alcoso slant. My DR list shows the G.Weyersberg as a 10 Jon can you email me the list you have mine may be outdated. Any one need a copy drop me an email I would be glad to forward it to you. Jon thanks for posting your slant Puma certainly the same craftsman hand chiseled these daggers look at how the head and eye detail is exactly the same not to mention the feather detail.