Schutzstaffel: The SS

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Schutzstaffel

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Officer’s Sword, 1936 Model (Item SS 15-1)

DESCRIPTION: This is a particularly fine example of a rare

officer’s sword according to Third Reich blade expert Tom Wittman, who has seen this sword. It is a classic Dachau-made piece in immaculate condition. This example is with unmarked blade as it should be. Paul Müller was the maker of these swords at the Dachau forge. He was the first smith to use stainless steel in the manufacture of sword parts. As a result they have a more chrome-like appearance. The sword may or may not have the PMD/Rostfrei on the tang, but we do not disassemble a sword to garner this information. To us it is of little consequence because we know that this is a Dachau sword. Because of the differences in construction sometimes the Rostfrei appears on the blade-this one does not. Most of the Dachau blades were not marked at all. One of the telltale signs is the fact that there is no frontal through on the scabbard throat mount and they do not have the sharp edge to the cross guard smaller ring for hanging from the belt strap. Dachau swords were never SS proofed. This sword is in remarkable condition. As Wittman says in his book, the SS organization tried to recruit taller men and sometimes the overall length of a sword reflected this. This sword is just such an example. The length from top to bottom is 40 inches. This officer had to have been 6 feet 3 inches tall at least. The grip and all fittings are in nice shape except for a notch or two, which is usual, around the button insert. Some “graying” is evident at the very top of the metal cap (usual). The blade is in excellent plus condition with a tiny nick here and there. Scabbard shows (normal) past wear and use, but has (original) paint scratched at some points; no dents, no bends, as nice a 60-plus-year-old previously worn sword could be expected to be and nicer than most. This could easily be the pride of a collection. Honest and historically important. The knot seems to be original.

PRICE: SOLD

Officer’s Sword (Item SS 15-2)

DESCRIPTION: This is a classic textbook example of an

officer’s sword by Puma of Solingen. Everything about it matches what it is supposed to look like according to Tom Wittman, who has seen it at “The Show of Shows” in Kentucky. Tom is the author of the great hornbook of the hobby Exploring the Dress Daggers and Swords of the German SS. This sword measures 35 ½ inches from top to bottom. The blade is excellent plus. No SS proofing is evident unless they be on the tang. We don’t disassemble these historic pieces. It has the white leather blade buffer as it should. The ebony grip of this sword retains almost 100 percent of the original protective lacquer. The Wotan’s knot-weaved pattern at the upper scabbard mount and the lower oak leaf grip ferrule retain nearly all their artificial dark coloration. This is the early nickel SS Degen. The teardrop quillion end have the “partial drilling.” The rune button has the 100 percent black artificial patination. This is a classic example of the 1936

Degen as designed by Professor Karl Diebitsch, who was the

-Obersturmbannführe, who was also Heinrich Himmler’s personal referent on all art and design in the

. Here is one of the finest of the

Ehrendegen we have ever had the honor to offer the collectors. They don’t come much better!

PRICE: SOLD

SS Subordinate Ranks’ Degen (sword), 1936 Model (Item SS 15-3)

DESCRIPTION: The (D) guard is composed of a nickel-plated stamped steel-based metal. The guard ends in a teardrop-like configuration. The upper ferrule is an integral part of the guard. The lower ferrule is a separate fitting being the same as the officer version. The pommel cap is the major distinguishing feature of this NCO design. It has a high-relief set of

runes that are visually enhanced through the use of a blackening process used throughout the lower background of the cap. The grip is a turned thirteen-rib variety, but with no

rune decoration. It is made of ebony wood and reflects a black-painted and lacquered finish. Unlike the officer version there is no wire wrap. Like the officer Degen the scabbard is black-painted steel. The scabbard differs from the officer’s model in that the lower drag area is built into the steel design. There is no separate drag mount. The blade is the same as that of the officer Degen varying with the height of the wearer. A white, leather washer was used in the early (no maker) and Peter Daniel Kreb’s examples of which this surely is. This sword has the Karl Diebitsch logo (the intertwined

), the Kulturzeichen mentioned in the great book by Thomas Wittman, Exploring the Dress Daggers and Swords of the German SS. This is the classic textbook example of the NCO

Degen and is in extra-fine condition throughout. The length is 38 ½ inches overall. Scabbard has original paint and is in excellent shape. All fittings are tight. Grip is unscathed. There are slight dings at the cap's sides, but do not detract from this almost pristine example. Lenght is 41 1/2 inches with no maker marks. This is practically a pristine example and you probably could not find better.

PRICE: SOLD

-Besteck Flatware Dinnerware (Totenkopf ?) (Item SS 15-7)

DESCRIPTION: This grouping of tableware was recently discovered in Germany. It is of a formal pattern in art-nouveau style. It seems to be heavily silver plated approximating the look of real silver. The only marks discernable are the letter “P” followed by the number “100.” On the knives the blades are marked Rostfrei (rust free-stainless). The finials are decorated with a set of

runes enclosed in a wreath on oak leaves. These seem to be soldered in place. These may be the tableware from the -Totenkopf division headquarters in the Bavarian mountains (-Oberbayern). Recently, many items from this compound were found including the entire library. You can see many of the volumes in our pages. Here we offer a dessert or luncheon spoon.

PRICE: $125.00

Page Fifteen

Please refer to item designator in parentheses in all correspondence.

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If you prefer, contact 'Germania' at PO Box 68, Lakemont, GA 30552
or call at 706.782.1668 or 706.782.4398.

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