UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons Hunting, Forestry, and Shooting Forum My First Hunting Dagger

Picked this up at the Max and thought that I would share it. I have thought about venturing into the world of Hunting Daggers for a while and finaly took the plunge.
From what I know, this is an Imperial piece that had the 3rd Reich badge applied during the 3rd reich.
Pictures to follow.

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Hey Scott a nice dagger u picked up at the MAX. hope u soon get #2

It is years before i get to hunting daggers

Gentlemen,
Any idea what the initials on the Throat Stand for?
Besides having the Imperial Crown, it has what looks like an "M A" inscribed. I would just think that it was personalized, but I noticed that Military Collectibles Inc, has a similar dagger with the Throat also marked with the same "A" ( Maybe the "M" is worn off on his? )
Mine appears to be by the same maker and is unmarked. Etch pattern is the same as well at the top & bottom of the Blade as the one on that site. His has the nicer clam shell.
He has it called a Forestry Dagger - Isn't this a Hunting Dagger?
Hope my questions don't seem too novice, but I am new to collecting these. Been collecting 3rd reich Daggers for many years, but this is my first time venturing in the Hirschfanger direction.
I can see how they can become addictive!

Spine etch

Scott

Good to meet you again at the Max, I remember well this hirschf�nger as there were not that many as good as this at the show.
I personally would class this as a forestry hirschf�nger, my rule of thumb whilst it may not be everybody's is that if it has acorns on the grip it's more likely to be forestry, no acorns is more likely hunting, that might provoke a few raised eyebrows but it's how I look at them.
As for the maker, well I don't think it's an Eickhorn, it could be any of a number of makers, I tend to look at both the etch and the shape of the lower scabbard mount, both of these can be used to identify a specific maker, with something as unusual as this piece you'll need to look at pictures of every hirschf�nger you can find, usually through a little deduction you'll be able to narrow down the makers and come to a conclusion.
They are interesting markings on the scabbard throat, I've not seen anything exactly like that before, they could be military markings of some sort, this piece could easily have been given to military personel, there were many hunters/foresters in the armed forces during the Imperial period. That brings us on to the time frame that this piece was produced, here I think we can safely put it between 1900-1920, possibly a little later but not much in my opinion.
The addition of the DJ badge on the clamshell is not that common, I've seen them placed on the grip and on the clamshell, it looks like an original badge to me so I have no doubt's that given the age of the badge and the patina around it I think it was placed there by the original owner during the 3rd Reich period. Remember that there was a close relationship between the Hunting association(DJ) and the forestry association during the 3rd Reich period with many foresters holding a rank within the DJ as well, I believe this configuration is entirely possible and almost certainly original to the piece.
All in all a fine hirschf�nger, I hope that it will not be the last for you.

Cheers

Gary