Ace, Thanks for the update on Bill Shea�s sword. While digital photos are a wonderful way to share information they are not perfect, and from time to time have caused problems for many of us in making correct interpretations.
From my Langenscheidt�s college dictionary �Tombak�: tombac, pinchbeck. New World college dictionary �tombac�: (tombak) .... an alloy of copper and zinc, and for pinchbeck: ... an alloy of copper and zinc. A German engineering dictionary �Tombak�: tombac ... a copper zinc based alloy ... red brass. While 70%cu/30%zn is at the low end of high copper content brasses (more yellow), U.S. mill standard red brass (more reddish) is 85%/15%, and there are all sorts of other formulations.
The bottom line I think being that as I mentioned earlier it�s a high copper content (brass) alloy generally with a reddish cast. (There are also more silver colored �white� brasses, that are high zinc (varies) with the proportions reversed, and a number of related alloys.) As for Pack & Co. - who knows what they were thinking??
Rob NL, Given the late wartime date IMHO it might be prudent to ask the person you are meeting if the dagger was given to him after the award? Or sometime after the war was over? In March of 1945 the Russians were at the back door, and the Allies were forcing their way in through the front. Having spoken with Wehrmacht veterans who fought on the Russian front: I�m having some doubts that considering what was going on, with soldiers having enough time to try and find, and then have engraved a presentation dagger (that was not a part of a combat uniform). As for the man himself his identity and history as an officer is especially relevant. Because over the years I have seen a number of supposedly named and attributed artifacts that did not match up to the facts. I am not saying that this is the case here. But only making a generalized statement based upon what I have seen happen from time to time in the past. Regards to All, FP
