I am new here and have been reading up on your forums - lots of good information here. In any event, I was wondering if some of you could help me. Approximately 10 years ago, I bought a very nice Luftwaffe 2nd issue dagger marked with Puma. I purchased it off of the vendor's website, which may even still exist today. That vendor was Gailen L. David Military Antiquities. The dagger came with a letter of authenticity, which I still have. I will try and post some pics of the dagger tomorrow for you to see, but as a newbie (then AND now) I am hoping that this is a qualified seller and that the dagger I recieved was indeed authentic. Has anyone ever heard of this vendor before - or perhaps purchased a dagger or edged weapon from him?

Ha!
Gailen David?
Yes, he is one of the most highly respected dealers.
If you bought from him, you have nothing to worry about.
All the best,
Johnny

Some pics of the Luft II dagger have been very nice ?



Regards LH

quote:

Originally posted by Johnny V.:
Ha!
Gailen David?
Yes, he is one of the most highly respected dealers.
If you bought from him, you have nothing to worry about.
All the best,
Johnny

Thanks for the quick responses - I did a quick search via google and his website is indeed still active. I am relieved to find that he seems to have a good reputation. I will attempt to post pics soon.

Purchased 12 November 1999 from Gailen David Militaria, this is my 2nd model Luftwaffe dagger by Puma.

Bigger pic, hopefully.

Scabbard. I added the portopee, the dagger did not come with it.

A pic of the grip and pommel. There is some gilting remaining on the swastika of the finial. The Puma mark is on the obverse, and has the diamond surrounding the cat. It seems etched (I couldn't get a good digital pic of it.) I have a dress bayonet that I believe is stamped C. Gustav Spitzer, so that leads me to believe this dagger is "etched".

It looks like a decent condition Luft2.

Gailen is a prince of a man and extremely knowledgeable about militaria. You can sleep comfortably knowing that you have purchased from an ethical dealer and you probably got a really good deal on this as well.

John

Thanks, John for your reassurances. I do feel better about the seller, as he seems to have an impeccable reputation. However, as this is my first (and so far - only) dagger, I am looking for feedback regarding its originality or any information about the maker Puma. Any comments on the dagger itself from anyone would also be much appreciated.

There were two companies, named Lauterjung, producing Luftwaffe and a slew of other daggers.

Lauterjung & Co is also known as Tiger and used the Tiger trademark.

Lauterjung & Sohn produced under the Puma trademark. I know of two marks used on Luft2 daggers, both with the cat's head, one with the diamond around the cat and the other with just the cat's head and no diamond. Both marks also had the word PUMA underneath the cat. One can find other marks on bayonets and on HJ knives.

John

Airgrabber,
Welcome to the site, you will find very knowledgable and helpful people here.

Nice original looking Luft dagger, i like the way everything matches in age, finish and the way everything fits (Don't clean it). If David say's it's all original well then it is. You will not be able to find a 2nd Luft dagger today for the price you paid back then. Another good dealer and one i personaly trust is Paul Hogel (lakesidetradder.com) he's prices are reasonable and he stands behind everything he sells, He even offers lay-a-way if your on a budget.

Eric W.

Airgrabber:

I want to echo Eric.

Do NOT clean this dagger or any other item that you acquire. Improper cleaning will destroy the looks and the value of your dagger.

There are threads on this site discussing what to do or not to do. Find the ones on Renwax, they should help you.

And Paul Hogle is another ethical and trusted dealer, as Eric said as well.

John

Thanks once again, John - the Puma information is quite interesting. The maker's mark on this dagger does indeed say "PUMA" underneath the cat's head. In ten years of ownership, I have not attempted, nor will I ever attempt, to "clean up" this dagger. An old collector (the man who got me interested in Third Reich edged weapons) had told me that sage advice long ago. My aim is rather to preserve and enjoy. Your recommendation of lakesidetrader is also appreciated! Thank you again for all your help.

Eric, thank you for the comments. I never really thought about how it fits together or how the individual parts match. That is good information to know and employ when looking at other potential purchases. The dagger is in fact quite good condition (as it was when I received it) and I am sure I paid market price for it back in 1999. The reassurances I have gotten from the community members about GDM have been a load from my mind. I am actually considering another dagger purchase on the website of lakesidetrader as we speak.