While I was more focused on the manufacturing details, I also wondered about the �Musterschutz� issue myself a time or two. Any clarification is certainly welcome.
At a temporary impasse while trying to find period non tarnishing silver alloys - I looked at the center mount from a different perspective. Nickel silver itself is a form of imitation silver that does not contain silver. Looking at imitation silver I found alloys that used silver as part of their composition ranging from 2% to as high as 30% silver.
I also had hoped for another example to look at in trying to try and determine what alloys had been used to manufacture the scabbard components. Using the pictures already posted with that information I took a (digitally) closer look to see if I was missing something? Then it occurred to me......................
Why not just electroplate the non matching nickel silver (or whatever alloy was used) to achieve a uniform appearance?? Eickhorn was certainly no stranger to the electroplating of metals! And it would have been a very inexpensive way to solve the problem of any possible shortage of silver itself (if that was in fact a problem).
So aside from some of the other issues: What are the odds of problems with etching - inferior metal castings from a subcontractor - mixed alloy and types of parts - and the apparent lack of the ability to electroplate - all happening together at the same time?? From a first tier manufacturer like the Carl Eickhorn company in the late 1930�s with a single item like a high end �Honor� dagger?
PS: I don�t have a problem with the idea of a variant NSKK dagger existing. But at least one fake NSKK presentation dagger was made 50 years ago. And it�s even worse now, as they are making additional counterfeit versions of fakes from the 1960�s or 70�s. And there were a ton of fakes/altered items of all types that were made in the 1960�s and 1970�s. So I think that a certain amount of caution is prudent - especially if you were not the one who personally opened the trunk and removed a dagger which has been untouched in the attic since 1945. FP
