UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons European Edged Weapons Austro-Hungarian Flying Officers' Dagger - M1917

Hello guys,

a few weeks ago I have found an item what as a Hungarian dagger collector I was always dreaming about: an Austro-Hungarian Austro-Hungarian Flying Officers' Dagger around the year of 1917.
It is an almost undocumented item, I know only one reference book where it had been published.
It came from the UK, the condition is far from perfect, but I am still very happy with it.
Hope you like it!

Janos

very nice . There are a lot of copies on market . TB

Jan Smid's book Bayonets of the Habsburg Monarchy has a couple of good examples of this dagger. Can you give us better photos of the blade details and are their any proof marks on the blade.

Ted is quite right that there are numerous reproductions of this dagger being offered.

That being said, yours looks ok, but I would like to see the blade clearer.

I like that dagger. Some dreams come thru at Christmas Time. If we’re not going to buy ourselves nice daggers for Christmas, who will? I just got myself couple of nice daggers for Christmas as well.

Congratulations, janos.

Boldog Karacsony!

Wow,that's interesting dagger,never seen one.
Who made these ?
Solingen?

Janos, congratulations! One of the underestimated edged weapons of imperial times (here Austria before 1918). Seldom to find. A lot of fakes nowadays. But as already stated by Jim W yours do look original.
Are you sure that the black laquered scabbard is original to the piece (it´s the same as for the Mannlicher 1888 bayonet)? I am only aware of pieces with chromed (or nickled?) scabbard. But on the other hand I have not seen too much of them.
Also the obviously blued scabbard in the article seems to be odd, I am not aware of any blued scabbard during the imperial austrian period.

@ stingray: The firm of ZEITLER / Wien (Vienna, Austria; here again documented as professional manufacturer and NO distributor!) did most (or even all?) of them.

Regards,

Guys,
thank you very much for your comments.
I attached a few more photos of the dagger.
I can't find any mark on the ricasso, but the scabbard is marked "ÖEWG" for Austrian maker "Österreichischen Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft ", so it could be a Mannlicher scabbard easily.
I think it is a good sign, the scabbard is Austrian production.
What is your opinion Wotan?
Jim, after seeing the new photos, do you still like the dagger?

Janos

More photos

And photos of the auction house.
They listed it as a Rare Imperial German Dagger.

Janos

Exactly correct Janos. Really rare find. I will tell you that if it was mine I would clean off all the gunk and rust. No polishing with rough materials, just remove the surface.

Just my opinion.

Wotan is correct that the only examples I have seen have the nickel plated scabbards. However, the detail of the scabbard is identical to the one you have. The tongue and lower ball are identical. So this is the correct scabbard, just not plated.

It is just speculation, but the Italian often had two scabbards. one for dress and one for walk about. Going back 100 years like we are is difficult to say exactly what happened.

That being said I have no doubt about this dagger being original.

It is a Dagger that I did not know completely, it seems to me a good example and the state of conservation seems very decent for a piece of these, besides they do not look very often, good companion acquisition.

Here is one of the current reproductions on Ebay.