Greetings All.

I have a chance to pick up a G. Felix SA dagger. It's an early one with numbering on the cross guard. I can't remember the number but it was two digits/five digits. The scabbard has the matching number. The dagger itself is in very good, uncleaned condition with a very nice blade. However the scabbard is not. There is no finish left on it at all, right down to the bare metal. The upper fitting looks as if the two side tips bow out from the scabbard body a bit and the lower fitting has a dented and cracked ball.

He's asking $400 Canadian which at today's exchange is around $330 US. Do you think this would be a good investment or pass it by? I couldn't take any pictures as I didn't have a camera with me and had forgotten to grab my cell phone on the way out. Looking forward to some advice. Thanks.

Anybody?

Like a said on the other forum: don't buy beaten up pieces that once where mass produced. They have no value!


Regards, Wim

Thank you for the advice, it's appreciated and followed.

Photos ?

Didn't get any. I didn't have a camera and had left my cell phone at home. The dagger is in really great shape but the scabbard is bare of all finish and has a smashed and split ball.

Disagree with such an absolute statement. Depends on the price and the value of its parts.

Pictures would help a lot in this situation...

Hi Skyline,


I don't find my statement that absolute from a point of view of a collector. If you are a dealer, or writing a book about the dagger subject, parts can be usefull. But as a collector? What value has such a badly stored and badly taking care of- dagger for a collector?
It is what it is in our hobby: we don't collect mega rare items but stuff that was made by mass and this (only) 80 years back. Technically spoken not even close to real antique.
Production of early SA's run over a million, if I rememember it right. What's that compared to an unique 300 years old painting or statue? I really don't undertstand collectors who buy completely beaten up mass produced daggers because the price is good or it has the been there look??? It simply doesn't make any sense to me...

(Written by a fuzzy collector) regards, Wim

That SA sounds like a Brigade marked one. Are the first numbers 14 or 15? Gustavo wrote a paper some years back so I would not dismiss this dagger because of the easily replaced or repaired damage to the scabbard. The upper fitting can be repaired and put on the nicer scabbard. These are not common daggers and given a couple of pictures, I would probably have purchased it, due to the numbered markings matching on the crossguard and scabbard throat.

Mark

I'll try to get some pictures this week. I'm pretty sure the first numbers were 15. Like I said the dagger itself is very nice with only a few runner marks. I agree with buying the best and try to but I also know you don't see too many Felix daggers and/or numbered ones. Plus for around $300 US I sure am tempted.

I would certainly purchase this Brigade marked dagger if you elect not to. These are the only SA's, with that form of numeric marking and usually the first two numbers are 14 or 15. I think they can be traced right back to their owners units at the time they were issued. Good hunting and a nice surprise find. In this case, the presence of the matching numbers is more valuable than the maker all other things being equal.

Mark

Hey Mark i didn't think there was any way of tracing the brigade numbered daggers, if you know different please let me know as i have a few of them

Does the logo on your dagger looks like this one here in the picture? (picture from warrelics)

Yes it looks exactly like that one. Still haven't had a chance to get back there and take a couple pictures. Probably towards the end of the week.

The only Brigade numbers I have seen are 14 and 15. The following numbers are the means to find the owner but you must first know the names of the Brigade members to match one with the dagger. They are usually marked Nm or some other regional mark from the Northern areas of Germany.
I will read Gustavo's papers and let you know more.

Mark

Look forward to hearing your findings Mark

Here are some pictures I managed to get. Sorry the lighting wasn't the greatest. Let me know if you think this is worth $325 US. Thanks

Here are some more

It's worth $325 to me.

The hanger alone is worth $75...

What do you think of the condition of the dagger itself?

What do you think of the blade, grip and cross guards?

Save your money and buy something in much better shape if you are going to collect daggers.

- The scabbard is junk

- There is a number but these are untraceable. They were NOT like the SS with countrywide numbers. Each SA Sturm (or whatever it was) used their own numbering system. If a guy moved to a different part of the country, he got a new number. Although these 14 or 15 numbered daggers are interesting, you cannot find out who owned them unless someone has a roster from that outfit at that time.

The grip is average or less and the blade the same, rare maker or not.

The leather hanger looks OK.

Dave

Thank you all for the advice and different points of view. I've decided to pass on this one. Thanks again.