Army dagger with some oddities

[angler]

Hello all.

I picked this up today. it was cheap but i was intrigued.

Getting it home I took some pictures, they revealed some red oxide in the swaz, the grip has been primed and dipped in something to keep it white. The colour white is also inside the grip. In some areas there is evidence of a primer and beneath this can be seen a yellow trolon grip.

It is a Holler 4th pattern CG (as confirmed my good friend Jon). At first I thought it was an aluminium pommel and CG as there are no signs of any plate. Jon thinks it would have been very late war and may have had a silver wash, which has all gone.

The blade has Tang marks along its edge but has been heavily and crudely filed to fit.

I feel that it is all period.

so what are your thoughts fellow collectors? I am intrigued.

[angler]

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[angler]

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[angler]

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[angler]

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[angler]

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final picture

thank you for looking

[heers68]

Frank, Interesting piece, definitely had a paint job from someone.. most would presume it was a collector, but there are legit painted examples out there like the offerings from Klaas. Hard to tell, have to look for signs of age, crazing or discoloring. These late Hollers always puzzled me as to why they show so much hand work? Isnt that supposed to be an early trait? I would think these would have been the 3rd type instead of 4th going on that logic? Anyways, neat dagger. Kevin.

[WW2-Collector]

Frank, Interesting piece, definitely had a paint job from someone.. most would presume it was a collector, but there are legit painted examples out there like the offerings from Klaas. Hard to tell, have to look for signs of age, crazing or discoloring. These late Hollers always puzzled me as to why they show so much hand work? Isnt that supposed to be an early trait? I would think these would have been the 3rd type instead of 4th going on that logic? Anyways, neat dagger. Kevin.

I agree with Kevin’s assessment – seems this one has met the fate of a tinkerer as many examples have. Kevin good point regarding the chronology of the Holler Type-3 & Type-4

[Degens]

Holler 3rds can occasionally be found with tapered tang blades, the 4th Holler, very often is matched to Generic fittings / scabbard suggesting later production.

To look at the 2nd and 4th pattern side by side you would instantly think one came after the other, I agree Kevin.

[angler]

Thanks for the comments.

I have added a few more pictures.

the paint job is interesting, if you look close you will see that the center raised section is very sharp. I have not seen a trolon grip with that much definition.

I do not think the paint has been brushed on, it seems to have been dipped.

the heavy filing to the tang i will photograph. it has no shoulder and appears to be tapered. I will take it apart again and take some blade pics.

[angler]

more

[angler]

last close up.

it looks like something may have been added??

I am tempted to have a dig ..........but i better not lol.

[Mac 66]

Frank,


Seems to me that someone spray painted a damaged orange grip to white with a grey primer undercoat, most likely done using spray cans.



Regards Mac 66.

[angler]

Hi Mac.

I thought that. I also gave it a sniff test and it has an odour. I may break it for parts and if i do ill try and strip the paint off, gently.

Also I just looked at the blade and i think the shoulder of the tang has been filed away to make it flat.