Product Details
A SCARCE 1936 PATTERN CHAINED SS OFFICERS 'HOLBEIN' DRESS DAGGER,
circa 1936, with double edged 8 3/4in. blade etched with the motto ' MEINE EHRE HEIST TREUE'' (my honour is loyalty), black wooden grip inlaid with an eagle and swastika and the 'SS' roundel to top of hilt, solid nickel fittings, TOGETHER WITH an original black painted metal scabbard with nickel chape (dented at tip) and throat, complete with special chained hanger and a leather, period belt-loop (blade with slight staining mild losses to paint on scabbard finish and tarnish to chains)
Provenance: In late 1936 Himmler introduced a new chain hanger for the existing officers daggers and for new officers, a new style dagger for wear, as well as old guard NCO's and SS members who had joined prior to January 1933. There are over five pages of documentation that the chain would be issued and not one document stating anything about a new dagger production. Yet, common sense will dictate that new officers would be entering the SS post 1936 and with that said, it's obvious that a new style dagger was produced. This later produced dagger was similar to the 1933 SS dagger (Lot352) but with the addition of a chained suspension hanger and a scabbard with a central mount fitting decorated with swastikas and a pebbled background. Crossguards and scabbard fittings, as well as the chain, were all solid nickel. The later made dagger (post 1937) has poor quality base metals with nickel plated fittings. Scabbard finishes can range from the original oxide finish with a clear lacquer to black lead based paint as offered here. The chain itself was designed by Karl Diebitsch and comprised of octagonal plates embossed with the SS deaths head symbol and SS (sig) runes. This had two meanings to it. The first is the skull and crossbones which signify a secret society. The second is the Sig Rune that is the power of good over evil. The chains were completed with a suspension clip that featured an ancient Germanic emblem called 'Wotans Knot'. The reverse of the chain was stamped with the SS proof mark of two intertwined "sig" runes. Two different styles of chains can be found, the first that has no burnishing on the centre band and plates of the chain its self, as well as a clip under the Wotan Knot (often DRGM marked). The last two connector rings on this type are square as they enter the Wotan Knot and is the type featured here. The second type has the dark burnishing on the plates and the centre band, and the Wotan knot is solid, with the last two-connector rings angled to fit into the Wotan knot. The SS Chained daggers had no maker's marks on the newly made daggers post 1936 but on period upgrades that consisting of well over 18,000 officers and old guard, these daggers simply had the new style centre band added and the upper fitting adjusted. Then the chain was added. These will display the early style trademarks and in many cases the SS officer's numbers. The new style chained dagger could only be purchased through official channels and was only initially worn with the black SS uniform. In 1943, officers of the Waffen SS were given permission to wear the chained dress dagger with their field grey walking-out dress uniform as well. At this time they were also allowed to purchase the chained dagger form official RZM sales outlets. Production of the chained dagger discontinued at the end of 1942.
Estimate £1,200-1,600