Please identify this 'Gottlieb' fighting knife

[Dudley]

Hi, can someone identify this knife? Is it a real (not a repro) production? Is it ww1, ww2 or post war? Any idea of its value?

Thanks in advance!

[Lassi]

Hi It is German world war one type of fightingknife, but also used in second WW.
To me it looks like an original pice
Regards Lassi

[Frogprince]

Some of the reproductions from India are really good. I have suspicions because of the general appearance, but your nose can help to make a determination. Besides its wrinkled appearance, some of the leather from India has a very strong odor. The leather on a WW I German trench knife should smell like an old German pistol holster. (Also the wood which is usually a much fainter and different odor, but is sometimes detectible.) Let us know what you find out. Regards, FP

[Dudley]

Thanks for your messages. The only way to determine if it's real is by its smell? Not by the markings or other things?

[ErichK]

Hi;

I have seen many repros of this particular knife and it shows up regularly on Ebay - not one of which I would want in my collection. That being said, your example with serial numbers I havn't seen on any original hammersfahr blade. I suppose though that a local company or divisional armourer could have stamped the blade and handle with their own serial number.

These knifes were in very short supply initally, and each company only got a very small fraction of these fighting knives as government issue, generally only for front line officers and men. The Hammersfahr Foch was indeed one that was an official issue knife(Ref. "Deutsche Kampfmesser page 53.). Most trench knives at the front were private purchase.

The area around the pins is too clean for my taste, even on a perfect original I would expect to see some slight discoloration to the surrounding wood and/or the pins themselves. The dark wood of the handle is also, in my mind, suspect. The color of the wood on these should be considerably lighter. The sheath could well be an original that is married to the knife.

I myself have a good 2 dozen of these sheaths in various condition. The bottom line; Maybe. I'd want to see it in person.

[sb98]

Hi,

I would pass on this one. There is a flood of repros for this model. The blade on this one (and the repros) has a "soft" look to it, the lines should be crisper and there should be some cross-grain. Of course the cross-grain would be gone if the blade has been polished a lot but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Also the leather part of the scabbard and the snap are not textbook - the scabbards on WWI trench knives are, for the most part, almost identical between makers.