Here is the crossguard variation in question, to clarify this pattern is found on early AXT's, and Plumachers ( before they switched to Klaas ).
The upper picture is from a Klaas marked dagger owned by Paul.H which I believe to be the same variant albeit heavily hand finished.
Note the large inner swirl to the quillions, the lack of definition to the wreath leaf border and the claw like lower feather to the left leg consistent on every example I can find.
REASONS WHY THIS NOT A KNOWN MAKER:
SMF - All early SMF crossguards have ribbons on the wreath at 3,6 and 9 oclock, the legs have no obvious feathering and the head of the eagle is higher set and more rounded in appearance.
ALCOSO 1ST - Although the general appearance looks promising the overall dimensions are wrong with the body being more squat, lack of feathering to the lower legs, smaller inner quillion swirls, and a more defined wreath surrounding the swas.
HOLLER 1ST - Undersized feet, wreath definition, smaller quillion swirls, a shorter squat body to the eagle and a larger squared head.
Now I realise there are differences between each and every early enhanced crossguard by each maker but this variant to me has major differences that could not be achieved through hand chiseling alone. It would appear to have only been used for a very short time and in all probability was Axt's in house production in an attempt to win the manufacturing contracts in 1935/6. We know Plumacher switched to the early Klaas crossguard by the number of examples found today so unlikely it was produced by them. The only thing I can not explain is why it would appear on an early unaltered heavily hand enhanced Klaas marked dagger?.
