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I just finished an update and reorganization of the Dagger Maker Mark Gallery. The link to it is HERE! Many of the photos have been replaced or enhanced, the Gallery has been separated alphabetically, and pointers have been added for the hard to find marks. Thanks very much to all the members who sent in photos. Any comments and suggestions are appreciated 
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The Fridericus mark is incorrect.. Fisher also has it wrong...
(not surprising) AS when mistakes are made they just seem to regurgitate them over and over...Not sure why they have Wester in there... As Dinger and Wester were not partners till well after the War.. The Fridericus mark still has the jury out on it as far as who it really is. But there are strong possibilities.... It is of course a period mark but trademark,brand-name or unknown Dist (this unlikely) nothing in period documents has been found yet..
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You are correct. The "Fridericus" mark should probably be listed for Gebr. Wester, company formed in 1925, trademarks registered in 1928, makers of razors, pocket knives, and cutlery. They produced a small number of daggers, many using damascus blades by Paul Dinger. After his brother's death, Carl Wester and Paul Dinger registered the "We-Di" trademark (post WW2).
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Hello: Vern
What is your source showing Gebr. Wester used (Fridericus) as a Brand-name??
Wester Gebr. was in business at least by 1905 .
The brothers names were Richard, Franz and Ernst.
They also owned another company "Wester and Butz" (have trademarks from 1895 in my collection of source material) with there other brothers Karl and Max this company was dissolved the 8th Feb. 1979 (different owners than of course.)
But here is another problem this Karl Wester is not the Damascus smith Karl Carl.. As this brother Karl Carl Wester had trademarks dating from 1904 under his own name.. I have this in my personal period trademark books.
There is more than one Carl Wester and Paul Dinger in the Solingen Address books and this trips up researchers who do not do there homework.
But for the life of me I cannot find a paper trail showing any Wester company using the BRAND-NAME "Fridericus"
P.S. I have been to the old WE-DI forge . Now it is gone.
Last edited by DAMAST; 11/27/2015 05:16 AM.
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This was sold at a vintage knife auction dated to the early/mid 1930s.
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Vern nice work ! great resource for the collector.
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Thanks! And speaking of We-Di, here are photos of my example. The vet I bought it from insisted he took it from an SS officer in early 1945
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Vern,
Great!!! Photo!!! On the pocket knife!!!! That is very interesting!!!
I also have damascus from We.Di. and fencing blades they made...
Yes many think they are pre 1945 items...
Vern,
What is your source stating that Karl Wester was part owner of this company?? Great picture!!
Last edited by DAMAST; 11/27/2015 04:32 PM.
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The Deutsches Reichs-Addressbuch and the Rasierklingen-Code list Karl and Max as the registered owners of Gebr. Wester. Also Gebr. Wester is listed in the Sammlung der deutschen Handels-Register with Karl August Wester as the primary owner and Karl August Emil Wester joining the firm.
Last edited by Vern; 11/27/2015 04:40 PM.
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What years as I have many....1913,1919,1931,1933,1942 + many other types...
Last edited by DAMAST; 11/27/2015 05:04 PM.
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Vern:
I have sent you a couple of e-mails with additions to this thread.
John
Always looking for Eickhorns and etched bayonets.
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Thanks Vern....(Eickhorn is a total Minefield) As I have documents showing they mixed trademarks on export items...
Last edited by DAMAST; 11/27/2015 05:17 PM.
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Yes, Eickhorn dates are only good for domestic production They used quite a few similar marks at the same time.
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John, Thanks for the photos. I'll update again in a few days. I have a few more to add also
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There are 13 different Karl Carl Westers living in Solingen in 1936 !!!!!
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Great Thread and information Vern and Damast...there will always be obscure pieces of the puzzle that will eventually come together. I dont think the TR puzzle will ever be completed as seen with this awesome thread of information. Im stunned with the identity and connection between WeDi and Wester and Dinger. Great history here Gents well done  Regards Larry
Historical Stewardship is a Trusted Honor that must be kept!
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Please note - 3 of the marks in the Gallery are Distributors. They are "Esser & Co,", "Hast & Uhthoff", and "Albert Kuhl". They will be removed in the next update.
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Vern:
I disagree with your removal of the three so called distributors.
If the only marking on a blade is one of these names, then I would classify it as a cottage maker. If the markings appear along with the name of a big manufacturer, then you are correct.
I have blades from two of the three with only these names on them... so, you would imply these are unmarked blades...
John
Always looking for Eickhorns and etched bayonets.
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John, I would classify them as Distributor marked blades, either etched by the original maker with the distributor mark, or stamped by the distributor once received. I'm not really comfortable calling a uniform or accouterments shop a cottage maker. Looking over the sources I have, I could add a couple of hundred Distributor marks and few if any of them would have the capability of assembling swords, daggers, or bayonets. I think it would be cleaner to remove them from the Trademark Gallery and load up a separate Gallery for Edged Weapon Distributor marks. Of course, I'm willing to discuss this further, but these are my current thoughts
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I agree. A Distributor gallery would be a good thing to have. Terry Kissinger could provide many examples.
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Got an updated test Maker Mark Gallery up to play with. Around 50 new marks, most for HJs and Bayonets. And Adolf Braun joined the list of distributors removed
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I agree, a distributor gallery would be a great help.
Gary
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Yes a distributor gallery is a great idea
Regards Sean
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Added 30 marks typically found on bayonets to the Maker Mark Gallery. It now contains 410 marks. I have a first test of the Distributor Mark Gallery ready with 140 marks. You can view it HERE. It does not include blade spine marks but I'll get to them after this section is ready to go live. Still going over the pros and cons of separate versus combined Maker/Distributor mark galleries and would like to hear your opinions.
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Do you have this distributor mark? Found on the spine of an Eickhorn #1312 sabre.
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I haven't gone through the spine marks yet,but will add it to the list. Thanks very much!
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I have some Eickhorn double oval trademark varieties found on police bayonets when you are ready.
John
Always looking for Eickhorns and etched bayonets.
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Hi John, send them in. Did you get a chance to look at the Distributor Marks test gallery?
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Added 8 blade spine etches. That's all I have for those
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Hi Vern,
I did not see this very early Carl Eickhorn mark in the gallery, yet...
Best regards,
Herman
1.JPG (119.48 KB, 94 downloads)
You never have enough HJ-knifes!
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Vern: Here is another mark that's apparently been omitted. Perhaps it's due to the fact that your administrator had a hissy fit over it. The mark which omits the term original was used by Eickhorn's father in law on blades he provided to the Eickhorn Company and is so stamped on the tang. Every one excluding dave Hohaus has stated that the mark is legit. and this includes Wittmann, Gailen David, Ron Weinand, Frederick Stephens etc. Jim 
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Yeah, I have several No Original squirrel TMs. And, on Original to show the difference.
Always looking for Eickhorns and etched bayonets.
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Hi John, those marks are in the "Dagger SS/RZM Codes" Gallery. No RZM codes or transitional marks are in the Maker Mark Gallery. Hi Herman, that IS an early mark It will be in the next update. Thanks! I'm in the process of merging the Maker Mark Gallery with the test Distributor Mark Gallery. The Distributor Marks will be in a separate section so they can't be confused with Maker Marks. If it isn't too cumbersome and slow to load, I'll put it up for testing tomorrow
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Vern:
In the gallery, I see the 1938 with no Original and here is a 1938 with Original, and I see the 1940 with Original and here is one with No Original.
John
Always looking for Eickhorns and etched bayonets.
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Hi John, That gallery is just for the SS RZM marks. SA and HJs are future projects And a quick update to all forum members - the test link for the Distributor Mark Gallery now points to the combined Maker/Distributor Mark test gallery. Take a look and let me know if you think it is too complicated, cumbersome, or slow to load. Thanks! To make things easier, the gallery is HERE!
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Combined gallery is up now.
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Wow! Great work! Thank you.
DTS
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Great job, Vern! Even if you didn't listen and look at my pictures of maker marks John
Always looking for Eickhorns and etched bayonets.
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Hi John, I still have them and an working through them. Many of them will be in the SA/HJ RZM Mark Gallery
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