I know that a header like this doesn't make sense to most people, but there was once a debate over the authenticity of the "smooth tail" Himmler dagger over that which featured a logo with "serrated" tail. Well, I finally found a "smooth tail" Himmler out of the woodwork, in the hands of a LIVING veteran, who I had the chance to interview on video. In the video, he talks of his time during WWII, from D-Day through to the end of the war. He was an Army photographer and artist, and I purchased this dagger from him, along with a matching numbers P38 with bring-back papers, a few of his original sketches, and copies of all of his war "binder" including some really neat photos. Anyway, we now have a documented case of a "smooth tail" Himmler dagger, held in the hands of a living veteran, that should put the debate to rest.
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Above photos show the "benchmark" which in this case, is a #2. Typical on these daggers. I have not disassembled the cross-guards, but they would be HE or AR marked on the interior. The orange stuff you see on the crossguards is NOT rust (nor should it be, since the dagger fittings are nickel silver). Just a weird patina. -
More photos. As you can see, scabbard retains 99% of the lacqueur. The best scabbard I have ever encountered on a Himmler, or any SS dagger for that matter. Grip is entirely free of chips or cracks.Comment
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Close up of the trademark. The camera is blurry for the ultra-close-up (sorry).Comment
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Some more.Comment
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A few more pics. The greatest thing is, this guy was all of 2 miles form my house. I was first contacted by them in 2003, and it took 8 years for them to reply. The photo on the left is a sketch he did when they liberated Mathausen Concentration Camp. The photo on the right is a sketch he did minutes before landing on D-Day. When I asked him to tell me about both photos, he told me that the reason he didn't "finish" the sketch of the SS prisoners moving the bodies, was because he couldn't bare to look at the bodies. The reason he gave for the lack of detail of his D-Day sketch ... well, that was obvious. He was thinking of some other things besides sketching the perfect picture.Comment
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That's a great grouping Craig.. CongratsComment
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Thanks. I had totally forgotten about this, and got a call out of the blue, asking if I still wanted the group. Guess what my answer was?Comment
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Beautiful grouping, Mr. Gottlieb! Loss of words at the dagger and P.38. The patina on the lower fitting looks especially great. Just can't imagine his feelings while drawing both of those at such times other than to focus his mind away from the horrors in front of him. May I ask the code of the P.38?
Blue Skies of Thunderbolts,
LevComment
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Yes, it's a stack date AC42, with matching NUMBERED magazine, plus two sets of capture papers:
http://www.craiggottlieb.com/engine/...ilter=FirearmsComment
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This "debate" was started by a couple of dissidents in the hobby several years ago. The "smooth tail" daggers are one hundred percent legit as documented in countless threads on this subject over the years. I personally am surprised to see this subject even come up again.
JimComment
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Whats the length of this blade?Comment
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I have no idea. It's the regular length, whatever that is
(I'm at home, not at the office where the dagger is). As for the debate, it really WAS over, but there were a few hold-outs, and this dagger should answer once and for all, the question. I have High Definition video of the veteran holding this very dagger, describing how he got it. It's nice when the provenance is this good.
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It also would have been nice if the dagger was on the bring-back papers as well, but when I asked him about that, he said his unit was only concerned with pistols and rifles.Comment
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Should never have been a debate about that and not sure who is holding out there but no one was really doubting that these were proper, think there were two battles over that.Comment
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