So how did your collection fare in 2016? I've seen a lot of very desirable items come on the market for sale, both privately & on consignment to dealers' sites.

I did pretty well in 2015 in finding some pieces I needed for the dagger collection. 2016 was even better but not in the sense of finding specific models I needed. Most of these items are redundancies in my collection but there were things that made them special and those things made them irresistible to avoid.

Luftwaffe daggers always had a special appeal to me but I never owned one that was unique or special other than having a rare maker mark. This year I picked up not one but two that are awesome, first was an unmarked Alcoso presented from a father to his son. Then I found a Voos pattern etched example by Carl Julius Krebs.

If that were it, I would have been happy, but there was more. In addition, I found a wonderfully patinaed Eickhorn Government Official's dagger. In the "need" column, I snagged a minty transitional Eickhorn NSKK M36, a very nice DJ hirschfänger by Anton Wingen. Although I've limited my Polizei bayonet acquisitions, I managed to find a very nice slotted clamshell.

Normally, I don't look to pick up SS daggers beyond what I have already but I found one that spoke to me. It wasn't for sale but I managed with trades & cash to obtain a nice numbered partial Rohm SS. It was in an old collection that was recently liquidated and I'm happy it's now in mine.

And last but by far not least was a sawback Fire Official's dagger that was presented to a Kommandant on his 25th anniversary in service of the Feuerwehr. It's a beauty and although not dated, the maker mark is the elusive "triple" oval of Eickhorn, placing it within the 3R. This one was snatched from the weeds, as it were & possibly my favorite of this year.

Also found some assorted knots and hangers I needed, including a Customs bayonet knot, which I'd been looking for for a while. Yes, 2016 was good to me, I can only hope 2017 is half as nice.

So please share what you've found this year, I love to live vicariously through collecting colleagues smile

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