Dark hued SA..

[WW2-Collector]

Well I love it the way it is and wouldn’t touch it! And I think Kevin’s is of the same school as me. So let’s not rehash the clean or not clean just enjoy and respect other collector’s tastes and wishes. Beautiful SA dagger! Really fine example.

Hi Kevin,

Indeed a fine piece from SA-Gruppe Niederrhein! That being said, if it were mine I'd have to get out some gentle soap and water and wash the nicotine off of it. I know many collectors like to maintain their pieces in the condition they received them in, and I normally agree with that point of view, but to me there is a difference between the action of oxidation in tarnishing over the decades and the exposure to more than half a century of cigarette smoke while hanging in a man-cave somewhere! To me, nicotine staining is simply not part of the natural aging process. If a piece came to me with fingerprints all over it or dust from hanging on a wall for decades, I would see that as no different than washing away the nicotine residue and exposing the true beauty of the piece once more. Just my opinion, of course...!

Br. James