Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice later war example of the typical German WW2 Army Officer dagger with a High-Lift Crossguard, belt hanger and portepee, made by the Solingen-based firm of Alcoso-Werk. The pommel of this dagger is in great condition, showing a bit of wear around the rim but nothing bad, and the silver plating is almost completely intact. The standing oak leaves and acorns are crisply detailed and have good black backgrounds.
The crossguard also shows a good amount of silver plating, and has a great oxidized patina. The eagle is a later war "High-Lift" type, typical of Alcoso daggers from this period. The details throughout the eagle are exceptional throughout the head, breast and wing feathering, talons and wreathed mobile swas. There is a bit of wear through the plating on the edges, and the rear of the guard has O S scratched into the finish.
The grip is is still a very nice ivory-white color, a really nice un-faded celluloid grip from this period. Often these turn orange over the years, but this is still in the original color. This grip is in almost perfect condition throughout, with just a bit of staining and wear. Wrapped around the grip and cross guard is an original aluminum bullion thread portepee (sword knot), tied in the Heer fashion. It is intact and in great shape, with just a bit of fraying in areas..
The scabbard is a fine silver-plated steel example, with a great patina and almost all of original plating intact. There is the expected oxidation in areas near the hangers, and much less under where the cross guard covers. This straight scabbard has very crisp, finely pebble-grained panels. The carrying bands have an excellent pattern of overlapping oak leaves and acorns, with hand enhancing evident on each of the leaves. The throat is the narrow style and is held in place by a single screw on the back of the scabbard.
Attached to the scabbard is a very good condition belt hanger, with both spring clips functional and a great patina.The buckles and keepers are engraved with the same oak and acorn motif seen throughout the dagger, and still have great plating. This hanger is really in great shape, with very little wear to the velvet and bullion, and a good condition hanger on the top.
The carbon steel blade is in excellent condition, almost perfect except for some runner wear and scratches near the tip. There is only one or two small stains, and it is otherwise factory bright, with complete original factory final polish crossgrain throughout. The leather blade washer is still intact and in place, and the needle-like tip is still intact.
The reverse ricasso is stamped with the trademark Alcoso-Werk used from from 1940-onwards. It depicts the scales with the firm's initials, AWS interspersed. To the right of this is the firm's name, Alcoso in script font and below the town of business, SOLINGEN, the legendary "City of Blades" in Western Germany.
Alcoso was origianlly a trade name of Alexander Coppel & Co. KG, Stahlwarenfabrik, located in Solingen, the legendary German "City of Blades." The company was a major manufacturer of edged weapons and tools from the end of the 19th century up until the WWII period. Unfortunately, as NSDAP-control increased, brothers Carl Gustav and Dr. Alexander Coppel, the Jewish owners of the firm, were forced out. In 1936 the firm had been "Aryanized", and started using the name ALCOSO to hide the Jewish family name. By the end of 1936 the brothers were ejected from their Solingen offices, and by 1940 the brand trademark initials ACS were changed to AWS to reflect the change in ownership and name: Alexander Coppel Solingen to Alcoso-Werk Solingen. Carl Gustav Coppel committed suicide in Solingen in 1941, and Dr. Alexander Coppel was arrested in 1942 and sent to Theresienstadt Prison camp, where he died August 5th 1942.
Overall a great example of a German Heer Officer's Dagger, from a maker with a somber back story.
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. This early war version is quite nice, and in great shape.
