When I first started collecting likely I would have passed on this dagger due to its condition. But I was very attracted to this piece. The dagger is reputedly a vet souvenir from Sicily. The allies invaded Sicily in July 1943 of which my father was a participant a member of the 82nd Airborne Division - Company I - 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. The 3rd battalion of the 504th attached to the 505th launched the first assault wave on Sicily July-9th-1943. The army collectors know this dagger was manufactured in 1935 and would recognize it as an initial production Alcoso slant with the type-1 Alcoso crossguard and first style maker mark. This dagger saw quite a bit of carrying time just think about the history this dagger witnessed being carried 8 years by a proud German officer. It must have belonged to someone very important. The professionally engraved Wappen on the rear of the crossguard is a miniature piece of art and is deserving of a research project. The whole dagger is constructed of a brass base metal even the hanger is brass base and has been permanently sewn to the dagger and been with this dagger for 78 years. The blade has suffered terribly over the years having been sharpened and is now dark with age. The initial Alcoso maker mark is visible under the crossguard facing the front the norm for these initial production Alcoso army’s. The dagger is a text book early Alcoso and exhibits nice hand detail work you would expect from a dagger of this vintage. If any one knows a researcher who specializes in wappen please let me know I would love nothing more then to put a name with this dagger.














Collecting Interests - Heer Daggers - Waffenrock - Portraits - http://WW2-Collector.com