Watch or dagger hanger?

[deejay]

Hi all,

I picked this little item up in germany around 1989 at a junk store. As I have not found anything on this item as yet, I have allways wondered what it's purpose was because nobody I have shown it really knows for sure.

Perhaps someone could say what this item was used for and maybe something about the unit it's representing or what you think of it? Fantasy piece? Be glad to show more pictures if needed.

thanks,
DJ

[tinmantis]

Hi DJ,
I've seen pieces like this before, always described as dagger hangers. I've just had a quick flick through a few books and can only come up with P34 of E.W.W.Fowlers book 'Nazi Regalia' where there are 2 pictured, one with an SA emblem and one SS.
On close inspection they are exactly as yours (but without the emblems) decribed as dagger hangers.
I would say though, your prussian skull, and scratched swastika are probably later 'add-ons'!
The engraving seems probable.
Try your luck on the dagger forum
jon

[deejay]

Hi Jon,

thanks for researching and your reply, that clears it up and I will try it as well on the dagger forum as you suggest.

regards,

DJ

[Angel Farré]

Hi Jon,

thanks for researching and your reply, that clears it up and I will try it as well on the dagger forum as you suggest.

regards,

DJ

In my humble opinion this are fob watch hangers, I have one directly from the family of Oberleutnant Georg Stern, DKiG winner, and was given as rememberance from his companions in the NCO corps from Inf.Rgt. 109 when he was an Unteroffizier so no dagger allowed to him, it was as yours, but decipts an eagle with svastica on the front where yours have engraved the unit and the reverse has been engraved with a dedicatory.

I also think that skell and svastica are postwar added.

Angel

[tinmantis]

I always wondered how a dagger could hang off one.
Just another example of the 'books' being wrong...
nice items btw
jon

[DonC]

Fob!

I vote for the watch fob. Saw one at an antique shop in Denver advertised as a "Government official's dagger hanger" for $295.00. The sheer weight of the dagger would mean that this would be a damned near impossible way to carry one with this "hanger" and have any semblance of that famous Prussian Joie de Vivre.

Don

[deejay]

Swastika

Thanks for all your help on this item so far.

What I do think is that the swastika was probably engraved at the same time as the inscription, I do agree it looks scratched on the first photograph, this macro shows the engraving more clearly.

The skull is simply applied with the prongs and not that exact and firm as you would expect, so yes probably non-standard.

Angel: can you post a picture of your hanger and/or others like it?
I find this getting interesting because so far as I know, there is not much information or documentation on these items which actually did have some kind of function as you say.

DJ

[Angel Farré]

Here is mine

Angel

[Angel Farré]

Sorry some troubles with the new system

Angel

[Nimble1]

Schutzen Fob

This is a fob with a schutzen award I picked up from a small German dealer a while back. I didn't know the name was engraved on it until I received it .

[zbv500]

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[zbv500]

iam new at this forum

hello,

I think these Things are not really militaria items. In the Germany of the 20´s and 30´s Students used this hangers as a " Beer Zipfel " They hang the corner on there Beer Glases, her jackets and such things wehn they are talking and drinking.
The different colours are from the countries they came from.
Later i think the soldiers do the same with this, but they fixed there military emblems on it.

Its my opinion,

kind Regards from Germany Jens