Kriegsmarine Transitional Dagger? Ivory Grip-Damast Blade

[militariacoll]

Cross guard and hammered scabbard are magnetic. Wire wrapped grip is ivory. Damascus blade is maker marked WKC. Any thoughts?

[collecting]

Hi there,

looks like a winner. Any better shots possible? Daylight would be great.
Thanks!
Best;
Collecting

[Ron Weinand]

Years ago I had one exactly like this one out of the famous Fred Davis Collection that Bob Thompson and Ron Distlehorst purchased in the early 1970s. Nice 1892 crossguard, 1920s damacus blade and Third Reich pommel. Obviously a handed down piece in a German naval officer's family of many generations

[collecting]

... what is an 1892 crossguard, please?

@militariacoll
May I ask you for an additional photo of the blade tip, but from the side, please?

[collecting]

I do not think that’s a 1920‘s maker mark. This looks like 1930‘s to me.

Imperial:



1920’s




1930’s




They are all stamped.

[Frogprince]

From my perspective there were two periods when Solingen makers substituted plated iron/steel for brass. The first circa 1916 during WW I, and the second in the late 1930's also for military production. FP

[collecting]

From my perspective there were two periods when Solingen makers substituted plated iron/steel for brass. The first circa 1916 during WW I, and the second in the late 1930's also for military production. FP

... some producers in the late time of boths WW‘s, yes. And the U9 dagger in the 1930‘s. However these are Imperial fittings mated with an obviously folded steel Damascus blade with an - etched - maker mark in the style after 1932. There are many recently produced Damascus blades around nowadays, so the mm raises some questions imho.
Best;
collecting

[BobI]

There are a lot of new Damascus blades out there but this is not one of them.
Bob

[collecting]

There are a lot of new Damascus blades out there but this is not one of them.
Bob

... hard to proof without more infos, internal markings to start with. The etched 1930‘s maker mark is a red flag for me, even with this more or less convincing Damascus pattern. But that‘s just me.
Best;
collecting

[militariacoll]

Thank you Ron!

As always your assessments are always highly regarded. This dagger came from vet family.

Militariacoll (Daryl Bagwell)

[BobI]

... hard to proof without more infos, internal markings to start with. The etched 1930‘s maker mark is a red flag for me, even with this more or less convincing Damascus pattern. But that‘s just me.
Best;
collecting

I could always be wrong but I doubt it in this case, that is old German produced Damascus. I have and have had enough old and new Damascus to compare. In this case I would not take it apart to check the tang, partially there is no reason to. Secondly, it is a bitch to get the pommel back on straight!
Nice dagger!
Bob

[collecting]

... I have and have had enough old and new Damascus to compare...
Bob

... same here.

Let‘s agree to disagree. Thank you.
Best;
collecting

[Bulldog]

It is unusual to see an etched WKC maker mark and this style of mark dated from the early 1930s is usually placed on the obverse side of the blade, i would want to see the tang just to be sure.

Russ.

[thebig]

It is unusual to see an etched WKC maker mark and this style of mark dated from the early 1930s is usually placed on the obverse side of the blade, i would want to see the tang just to be sure.

Russ.

I would say more than unusual.

[Frogprince]

It is unusual to see an etched WKC maker mark and this style of mark dated from the early 1930s is usually placed on the obverse side of the blade, i would want to see the tang just to be sure.

Russ.

Imaging via the Internet can sometimes be tricky when evaluating a TM. Enlarging the image as much as I could I'm wondering if it 'in hand' might look like engraving versus etched. FP