GIL Leader's Dagger Souvenir

[Dennis S]

another view of blade stamping .

[Dennis S]

Horster Soligen

[Sparviero]

@Dennis S; What is your personal opinion on the Horster dagger?
The Horster one you see rarely compared to the other presented daggers. Again compared to the others, details are not very well done. This could ofcourse have several reasons.
The one I have of Horster has a metal scrabbard, a straight blade and the metal protecting the hand (don't know the proper English word) is also straight.

Greetings,

[Dennis S]

@Dennis S; What is your personal opinion on the Horster dagger?
The Horster one you see rarely compared to the other presented daggers. Again compared to the others, details are not very well done. This could ofcourse have several reasons.
The one I have of Horster has a metal scrabbard, a straight blade and the metal protecting the hand (don't know the proper English word) is also straight.

Greetings,

I had another Horster once before but had a straight blade as you described, but with a leather scabbard similar.The scabbard was different and better made compared to my other dagger. I would think a key would be in the trademark to date it. Also to see if they marked their blades different for export. The Horsters always appear to me to be earlier made and I don't know of any swords that they resemble. I really don't know a lot about these daggers other than the dispute that has been published.

[Sparviero]

I know F. Horster (not to be confused with the famous E&F Horster) made swords for the Italian army. However the stamp is different from the ones on the dagger. Furthermore, as you said, I have never seen an eagle resembling the one on the dagger on a sword.

I believe (while looking to above points) the F. Horster eagles were made for this purpose. On the blades themselves I have doubts.
Looking at the dagger (and at the blade/eagle variations and the non Solingen quality of the eagle) I believe the blades and the eagles are having a different origin and were assembled in Italy. This would indicate the blades themselves were imported and used (as intended or not) for these daggers.

I think there is no discussion on that they are made (in mass production) in the war, but for whom (Fascists or GI) is indeed unclear, although everone has his own thoughts on it ofcourse.

I will post a pic later this week of my dagger.

Greetings,

[Raffaello Carola]

I know F. Horster (not to be confused
with the famous E&F Horster) made swords for the Italian army.
However the stamp is different from the ones on the dagger.
Furthermore, as you said, I have never seen an eagle resembling
the one on the dagger on a sword.

I believe (while looking to above points) the F. Horster eagles
were made for this purpose. On the blades themselves I have doubts.
Looking at the dagger (and at the blade/eagle variations and the non
Solingen quality of the eagle)
I believe the blades and the eagles are having a different origin
and were assembled in Italy.
This would indicate the blades themselves were imported and
used (as intended or not) for these daggers.
I think there is no discussion on that they are made (in mass production)
in the war, but for whom (Fascists or GI) is indeed unclear, although
everone has his own thoughts on it ofcourse.
I will post a pic later this week of my dagger.
Greetings,

agree not difficult to find this daggers reassembled with sword/bayonet
blades, in photos another F. Horster blade.
cheers, Raffaello

[Raffaello Carola]

2

[Sparviero]

@Raffaello Carola; not difficult to find, but you see the F. horster daggers less then the other daggers shown in this thread.

If I read correctly you support the theory of war-time souvenir production. In this light, do you believe they start to produce the Horster's later during the war when the other Eagle daggers became more difficult to produce due to lack of proper materials and laboured skills? This in view of the reduced detail.

Greetings,

[Sparviero]

As mentioned before: my F. Horster (G.I.L.) dagger.



Greetings,

[hmsbrinmaric]

Here's my contribution, this one has green glass eyes and green grip.

Keith

[flatlander]

Here are a few pics of my F. Horster Solingen maker marked GIL knife. This one is slightly different from the others posted, (brown grip, single strand grip wire, curved crossguard). It came without a scabbard.

[flatlander]

2

[flatlander]

3