Nothing like jamming it home.
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I meant that in a positive way of course..Originally posted by damasco View PostNothing like jamming it home.Comment
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Latvian Dagger
Gentlemen,
In continuation of our exploration into this subject, I finally found my images of the Latvian dagger which has the rope and fouled anchor on the reverse.
This piece came to me via the collector Harvey Riley in the late '70s or early '80s, it is a Horster product. The white handle is plain - devoid of any decoration. The scabbard has a black leather body (not the reddish brown as seen on Eickhorn pieces).
The blade is etched on both sides - on the obverse with what appears to translate as "Honour the Fatherland" - together with a Latvian Eagle on the ricasso.
On the reverse of the blade are the dates: 5.3.33 - 21.3.33.
Do we have any members in the Baltic States who might be able to suggest the significance of these dates in Latvian history?
I have asked my colleague Barry Brown if he will post these images for me. Many thanks.
FJSComment
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More information
Gentlemen,
Further to my previous submission a couple of hours ago, I received an excellent set of photos from DenHonordagger of an identical pattern dagger with the rope and fouled anchor motif. The images were also clear enough to accurately read the inscription on the blade, which I now confirm is:
Ehre, Freiheit, Vaterland ("Honour, Freedom, Fatherland".
The interesting part is that the inscription is in German, and not in the Lettish language as used by the Latvians. The mystery about these daggers is getting greater !
Thanks for the images, Den. I hope you have sent the same to Barry, so that he can post them on the thread ..................... this has turned into a most fascinating study.
FJSComment
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Posting images from Denhonourdagger, in support of Fred Stephens last two posts.Originally posted by F J STEPHENS View PostComment
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two moreComment
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reverseComment
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obverse blade etchings.Comment
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reverse blade etchings of the Horster "Latvian" dagger.
Regarding the dates, 5.3.33 - 21.3.33:
Robert P Moses, in his 1991 Max Gazette article, asserted that the dates 5.3.33 - 21.3.33 were significant TR commemorative dates, but not for Latvia which was an independant democracy between 1920 and 1934. Bob argued that they were "honored" dates of the NSDAP; 5.3.33 being the date of national election of Reichstag members, and 21.3 33 being chosen for the opening of the first Reichstag of the Third Reich, to symbolically identify with the day Bismarck had opened the first Reichstag of the Second Reich, 21.3.1871. Bob also stressed that the obverse blade mottoe was a German patriotic sentiment, and of course rendered in the German language.
Bob further backed up his arguments by reference to the Hitler Honor dagger shown in a period edition of "Die Klinge" Solingen's blade trade magazine. The dagger can be seen in Tom Johnson's vol. 2, page 76. Interestingly this famous dagger bears the dates, 5.3.33 - 21.3.33, and as Bob Moses pointed out was produced by Horster - for presentation to Hitler by the Solingen chamber of commerce.
The jury remained out at the end of the 1991 - 1997 Max Gazette debate!
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Interesting thread, I have only seen photos of this type of dagger. Thanks for posting all as I learned something new.Comment
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