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Here we have three examples of the early Puma product.. Two initial production examples and one recently acquired example that I feel is the next step in the evolution of the Puma Heeres dagger.

Initial examples show all brass based construction heavily silver plated using generic hilt fittings (also seen on various makers initial examples, maker unknown?) and a few traits that set off the Puma's first type Heer.. bigger, more bulbous slant grip that has deep pronounced ribs, and a scabbard produced and only used initially by Puma!, with unique bands and brass construction.

This rarely seen next generation slant shows Puma's first attempt at making a lighter weight dagger using Pack pot-metal based fittings that typically don't hold plating well.. must have been still getting the kinks out of plating this light metal? Pommel has nice hand work and bird shows enhancement to head and chest feathers. In the grip dept. the bigger slant has given way to the more typical slant of smaller proportions. Tang is still the broad tapered type and maker mark is the last use of the early "small diamond". Scabbard type has changed to steel based and has heavily enhanced bands.

Comments and other examples of early Puma's welcome! Best, Kevin.

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Beautiful daggers Kevin,congrats

Very nice examples Kevin!

Yes, nice looking daggers. Can't compete with your photograpy skills, but here is my Puma. Not sure where it falls into the production though. Ron

Thanks guys!

Tanker, Nothing wrong with your photography skills! Nice correct Puma with generic A fittings and large diamond maker mark, circa 39' to 42'. Puma's last configuration, they used these fittings and type B generic fittings till the end of production in 42'. Best, Kevin.

Thanks Kevin
Did not mean to hijack your thread so if you want to ask them to delete my pics, please feel free to do it. Ron

Kevin Super grouping! And rare examples. Love the personalization that dagger is real special it has it all condition - rarity and then a killer personalization. Puma made some interesting early configurations. I really love the early Generic Type-2 crossguard great looking bird. The Pack 3 usage as you point out is an interesting evolution it dates and confirms this guard is fairly early I would say early 36 while most collectors would assume the Pack 3 would be later in the period. Your Puma with the Pack 3 is quite rare as you know with the silver plate (only one I have seen) but as you also know several examples with aluminum Pack 3 guards are known so you did well having the insight to pick up this missing link in the Puma evolution. You think the scabbard bands may be an early generic variety? They look like the ones on my Plumacher. Congratulations on a superior grouping of Pumas.

Tom, You make some good points about this next generation slant. Most would have assumed that the Pack third came about post 37', this seems to show that it was available in 36' (wish this one had the enhanced wings like your killer Ivory Puma!). The scabbard is a question for me too, it may just be a Puma enhanced Pack having flat head screws like the early Puma produced scabbard. This would fall in line with your 2nd gen. Plumacher as it has the type 2 Pack fittings so the scabbard was probably sourced from Pack too.

Any more interesting variation Puma's out there?? Show them if you've got them! Kevin.

Kevin I was comparing the bands on my Plumacher slant they look very similar to the ones on your earliest Puma slants – early generic scabbard? I like your thinking on the later scabbard I have always studied the crossguards extensively and the other parts to some extent but lots of research capabilities still abound on the scabbards-pommels & grips.

Tom, I still think this band type is a Puma exclusive (JMO), My two examples conform to each other and when compared to the Plumacher initial scabbard bands that are also used on my Axt und Hauer example show differences in the shape of the bands where they meet at their seems and both the Pumas have the leaves running in the opposite direction from the Plumacher/Axt band. Scabbard body does look near identical though! Perhaps a early generic scabbard with Puma's bands?

I do need to post this retraction... the scabbard body on the initial Puma examples are STEEL based! Thought I had tested it earlier! Sorry for that.. Kevin.