Kriegsmarine 1st model dagger with m38 pommel and O.337 stamp - Need Authentication

[Tomaz]

I don't like it, the letter and numbers are what you would see on a depot piece, the O would be for Ostsee, the base at Kiel (Baltic station) and the numbers would be for the officer assigned with carrying the dagger, these are navy property/proof markings indicating that the dagger was navy property and did not belong to the officer carrying it. The numbers don't look correctly stamped and the scabbard would normally be stamped with the same markings. As said post war scabbard, the rest looks original but may have been put together post war, plain blade depot pieces are normally maker marked. I would pass on this one, too many red flags.

[Tomaz]

A couple more observations, a depot piece would also have an eagle over an M (for marine) stamped on the blade ricasso which is also a navy property marking found on depot pieces with these numbers, its missing from this one, and I think an orange grip on a navy was an extra cost option which would most likely only be found on a private purchase dagger and not one on loan that was navy property.

[Frogprince]

Also seen on period small arms such as pistols and bayonets the "O" Ostsee (and "N" Nordsee) markings followed by numbers are inventory or control numbers and not for any specific individual. With senior grade NCO's permitted to draw dress sidearms from (just like their close cousins some of the military marked ie: Eagle/number for Luftwaffe daggers) naval stores instead of purchasing them. That said, this one has too many issues for me, also remembering a few years back a batch of not bad quality postwar naval swords that were faked with false inventory markings.

PS: Grip color other than white was an not intended result, with age and the environment with a certain type of plastic the reason for colored grips. But also noting that I've seen postwar fakes manufactured with solid orange colored plastic. Best Regards, Fred

[mike1]

Hi guys,
thank all of you, I will avoid this one and will look for complete original. But in that case I will ask you again for help .
Mike