help with pricing of daggers

[chuck locke]

Gentlemen, I got a call from a friend of mine who is an antique dealer. He was approached by the family of a vet who told him they had an officers dagger, and a Hitler Youth dagger/with motto. They wanted $450.00-$550.00 for them.He called me with this exact info. My reply was I needed to view them as there's many different types of officers daggers and condition is everything.

Not being a dagger type (mostly bayos) can anyone give me a low-med-high
for the more common daggers (Luft, heer, naval) and any others you'd care to expound on, as well as the prices for a HJ/motto. I have the book Edged Weapons ... so I can identify when I see them, but pretty much wouldn't know what's fair.

Chuck

[David C]

Bit of a tall order that one Chuck.

Check this site out:

http://www.lakesidetrader.com/edgedweapons.html

Paul is a member here and his prices tend to be closer to collector than some dealers.

I really do recomend posting some pics up if possible though as some makers are much rarer than others.

Good luck.

Cheers,
David.

[Larry Lipps]

Chuck, I'm going to assume you mean a HJ knife not the leaders dagger (both have mottos). For a common HJ knife in very good condition, with no problems, I'd estimate about $300 + / - maybe 20%.

For an army officer in the same condition, around $350, and Luft $400. A ton a variables apply, but that's the area I'd like to be in.

[Richard]

Larry, how comfortable do you feel with those estimates? The reason I ask is that there have recently been a couple of HJ daggers offered on the estand which languished at the $200 level.
Richard V

[chuck locke]

Thanks guys, I would believe it to be the HJ knife, but having yet seen them I really don't know. If both were average condition then $500 wouldn't be out of the question, but if flaking resharp etc considerable lower.

Chuck

[Larry Lipps]

Richard, strangely enough, in my opinion it's a lot harder to find a problem free HJ knife than the officers daggers. If it's maker marked, unsharpened, with a clear motto, and has a nice scabbard, I think $275 to $300 is reasonable. That being said, I've seen several different daggers on the estand not sell at what I thought were reasonable prices. As with everything we collect, I guess it's only worth what someone will pay.

[Richard]

Thanks for the reply Larry. I feel much better about having paid $200 for one about 3 months ago. It is in great shape but was a little discouraged when I saw some selling for less.

Richard V

[David C]

They have been overpriced ever since THAT film was released. Perhaps a little bit of sense is creeping back in,... maybe,...


Cheers,
David.

[lakesidetrader]

Hj's are underpriced in my opinion and the perfect place for the beginner to jump in. As Larry states yes a very common piece but finding a minty one is near impossible.

Paul

[Paul V]

Prices

HJ's are underpriced I think!

Nice condition ones in $200.00 to $300.00 are a real bargin!

Paul

WWW.PaulVondrak.com

[chuck locke]

Wow, they sure have jumped up some. Hopefully I'll get to see the daggers this week (just home from vaca).
Chuck

[Skipper Greenwade]

A nice HJ - albeit without motto - was just listed on the e-Stand for $385.00 and sold almost immediately. Perhaps with the HJ knives more than any other Third Reich blade, contidion is everything!

Happy 4th of July,
Skip

[Colorado]

Mine was one of the ones that languished at $200 (but did sell). That said, it had no motto, the top snap was missing the plastic cap and was sharpened. I just bought an excellent one last night with a motto on the estand for what I thought was a very fair price.

As Paul V will attest unsharpened knives with or without motto and overall excellent condition are tough to come by and will easily cost double what the languishing ones cost. If priced right, they normally fly off the estand as the one last night did.