Hello Kathy,

Welcome

I would be paying a visit to that museum if I were you and if you have any kind of letter or receipt I would take legal action if the items are or cannot be returned.

With that out of the way i would say that by looking at the sites of good reputable dealers and viewing the discussions on a forum like this you will get a good feel for what may or may not be correct.

Collecting antiques (which these are now) has always been an expensive past time. If you go for the best condition it is more costly but you would find it easier to re-sell. If all you want is little pieces of history and condition is not so important to you then it can be a whole lot cheaper if you stick to the most common daggers like the SA and Army types. try wherever possible to buy from other honest collectors. Most of the dealer prices are 30% - 50% over market and one or two even more so!

You will get plenty of help here if you need it & good luck!