|
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 407 Likes: 1
|
OP
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 407 Likes: 1 |
Gentlemen, let's have a look on an Eickhorn Naval dagger. First what is interesting is the fact, that the NCO on the photo is still wearing his Imperial Submarine badge in 1942. What we do appreciate on these Eickorns is the thick layer of fire gilt. Even on a well worn dagger like this one can see he remains of the gilt. The oak-leaf scabbard bands are cornered, this is typically for this maker. Maker mark is stamped. Eickhorn Naval daggers generally found with the Celluloid over wood grip and the Sea-serpent on the blade, some are saying these are Dolphins, hmmh. The sailingship motiv was not produced by Eickhorn during this period. The eagle has a somewhat high shoulder, also typical for the Eickhorn KM 1983 pattern. We do not appreciate the term second model, this is more than incorrect because German naval daggers appeared as early as 1800. Thanks for looking. Best; Hermann         
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 762 Likes: 1
|
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 762 Likes: 1 |
It's always nice to see a beautiful navy dagger. Great pictures too! Thanks for showing.
Danny
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 407 Likes: 1
|
|
OP
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 407 Likes: 1 |
It's always nice to see a beautiful navy dagger. Great pictures too! Thanks for showing.
Danny ... thanks, Danny. So we are two... ;-) Best; Hermann
Last edited by Flyingdutchman; 05/02/2013 12:07 AM.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,814 Likes: 18
|
|
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,814 Likes: 18 |
A Beauty of an Eickhorn!
John
Always looking for Eickhorns and etched bayonets.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,980 Likes: 4
|
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,980 Likes: 4 |
Hermann,
Lovely dagger and accoutrements, quite outstanding.
I never knew there were two schools of thought on the dolphins/sea-monsters in the etch patterns? It's true the two figures shown here seem to be dolphins at first glance, but they both have impressive sets of teeth so I'm not sure if they were meant to be dolphins or something else? Since they took full advantage of "artistic license" back then, perhaps they really were meant to be dolphins? Even towards the end of the 19th century sea creatures were still portrayed very liberally. Fish, whales and squid looked like the stuff of nightmares and open to wide personal interpretation. As with all the other artistic designs used in the various etch templates, I think that they were meant simply to portray traditional themes associated with sailing and other maritime elements.
Thanks for your excellent post.
Best!
Willi
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 10,682 Likes: 54
|
|
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 10,682 Likes: 54 |
Thanks for showing this dagger and grouping!
Learning something all the time!
I would like to see that navy badge up close front and back!
Never see those either!
PVON
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 407 Likes: 1
|
|
OP
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 407 Likes: 1 |
Willy,
you maybe perfectly right. From an artistic point of view these could easily be a pair of Dolphins. On the other hand to show two sea monsters would makes more sense imho, its more dramatic instead of Flipper. ;-) But that's just me.
Gentlemen, you've got me. Dagger and photo are belonging together, not the Cross and sub badge. This sub badge was published in our book, of course I'll add the photos, but it was added here to underline the fact that this NCO is wearing an Imperial badge in 1942.
Best;
Hermann
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 407 Likes: 1
|
|
OP
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 407 Likes: 1 |
Paul, here are the photos you've asked for. Best; Hermann   
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 10,682 Likes: 54
|
|
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 10,682 Likes: 54 |
Oh my!  Thats a beauty for sure! Never saw a real one! Thanks for showing! PVON
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 407 Likes: 1
|
|
OP
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 407 Likes: 1 |
Paul,
thanks for looking.
One thing to add: 'fec' stands for fecit, Latin for 'made by'.
On blades one can find the engraving 'me fecit Solingen' sometimes, made in Solingen. Solingen was the main city for blade production for more than 300yrs in Germany. They still producing blades there, but the city has changed to something, hmmh, let's say different.
Best;
Hermann
Last edited by Flyingdutchman; 05/04/2013 11:12 PM.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 407 Likes: 1
|
|
OP
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 407 Likes: 1 |
Hermann,
Lovely dagger and accoutrements, quite outstanding.
I never knew there were two schools of thought on the dolphins/sea-monsters in the etch patterns? It's true the two figures shown here seem to be dolphins at first glance, but they both have impressive sets of teeth so I'm not sure if they were meant to be dolphins or something else? Since they took full advantage of "artistic license" back then, perhaps they really were meant to be dolphins? Even towards the end of the 19th century sea creatures were still portrayed very liberally. Fish, whales and squid looked like the stuff of nightmares and open to wide personal interpretation. As with all the other artistic designs used in the various etch templates, I think that they were meant simply to portray traditional themes associated with sailing and other maritime elements.
Thanks for your excellent post.
Best!
Willi Willi, Thanks for your thoughts. The ornamental embellishments on German Naval daggers are amazing and always with a deeper meaning. For example: The reed-bundle pommel from around 1800, which re-appeared in 1848 and 1919, often misunderstood as 'flaming ball' pommel, how funny. The reed-bundle was the ancestor of the buoy... Look at 1919 daggers. On the reverse crossguards one can see a milkwort. This flower can be found on sacral buildings like the Cologne Dome as the finial stone. It stands for resurrection in Gothic architecture. And of course this was understood as for the resurrection of Naval power in 1919, so shortly after Scapa Flow... There is always a meaning. Unfortunately. Neither Vic nor I were able to explain the lightning bolt pattern on German naval scabbards. Maybe one of the fellow collectors will have an idea. Thank you so much. Best; Hermann
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 407 Likes: 1
|
|
OP
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 407 Likes: 1 |
... interesting that also the US insignia for submariners shows two dolphins in a an artistic way. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_Warfare_insigniaBest; Hermann
Last edited by Flyingdutchman; 05/05/2013 09:39 AM.
|
|
|
|
Forums42
Topics31,669
Posts329,108
Members7,524
| |
Most Online5,900
Dec 19th, 2019
|
|
|
8 members (seany, Dave, Ric Ferrari, ed773, The_Collector, Vern, den70, Texasuberalles),
622
guests, and
97
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
