Original German WWII Early 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger by Robert Klaas with Scabbard & Belt Hanger Chain Original Items

Original Item: One of a Kind. This is a very nice 1st Model Luftwaffe Dagger from the late 1930s, made by the rare firm of Robert Klaas, Feine Solinger Stahlwaren (Fine Solingen Steelware). It has the earliest pattern fittings, which were a mixture of alloy and steel (on the scabbard), and were both plated and then coated with a type of blue oxide or paint. As the finish ages, it gives them a lovely patina from the degradation of the top finish, as well as the plating.

The hilt fittings look to be made of nickel or zinc alloy, which still have a good amount of the plating, now oxidized to a lovely patina. The pommel has nice “Sunwheel” style swas (hook cross) emblems, which look to be brass inlaid into the alloy. The grip is a carved wood base covered in blue Moroccan leather, which shows moderate wear, with a few areas of finish but none where the underlying wood is visible. The original quadruple aluminum wire wrapping, with the center pair twisted, is still fully intact, and in great shape. The guard is the standard down swept “wing” type, with good detailing remaining, and with more brass inlaid “sunwheel” swas’s, both now with a lovely dark patina. There is some age cracking in the metal of the guard.

The blade of this piece is a high quality nickel-plated steel example, and is in very good condition, with only some runner wear and tiny scratches. The runners rest near the base of the blade, and have removed the plating on both sides, now showing small areas of staining. The original factory unsharpened edge is intact, as is the tip.

The reverse ricasso is maker marked with a trademark logo that reads ROB’T KLAAS under the trademark Klaas “Kissing Storks” trademark emblem. This is a well-known maker from Solingen, the famous “City of Blades” in Western Germany, which produced many fine edged weapons. The company was originally founded by Friedrich Robert Klaas, who married the daughter of knife maker Peter Daniel Pauls. After his father-in-law passed away, all was left to Klaas and his wife, so he merged his scissor business with the knife business, and registered with Solingen authorities in 1869. The company passed to his sons, and then his son-in-law. It survived WWI, WWII, and still exists today, per J. Anthony Carter’s fine work GERMAN SWORD AND KNIFE MAKERS. The blue leather blade buffer is present and in very good condition.

The steel scabbard shell is straight throughout with no dents. The Moroccan leather covering the scabbard nicely matches the grip and is in good condition, showing pressure denting, as well as some small tears. This scabbard has steel mountings, which have lost some of the original finish and now display an oxidized patina. These mounts are retained by headless flush mounted side screws.

The attached aluminum chain has six ringlets making up the upper chain and nine on the lower, not counting the rings attached to the scabbard fittings. These two chains are attached to an aluminum snap clip, which is marked on the back with the OLC in a diamond trademark of Overhoff & Cie. of Lüdenscheid, who produced numerous clothing accessories. It is also marked GES. / GESCHÜTZT, for Gesetzlich Geschützt (Protected By Law), indicating that the clip was a trademarked design.

A very nice well patinated example of the classic 1st model Luftwaffe dagger, by a rare Solingen maker. Complete with hanger and ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 12 1/8″
Overall length: 17 3/4″
Crossguard: 4 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 13 1/2”