So if you end up with a few SA dagger/scabbard sets and find that one dagger is really nice but has a crappy scabbard, and want to swap the scabbard with a better conditioned one, what is the downside if the fit is really good?
Is there any real way of knowing a dagger is mated to its original scabbard?
thanks

One downside is if you swap parts then it's a parts dagger and no longer original. Some scabbards have traits unique to a certain maker such as the lip of an Eickhorn scabbard is thicker than most others. Also weight and materials used can determine the period it was made.

Agreed.
What you end up with is a parts dagger.
Worth less than an all original piece.
Better to sell the pair and use the funds to buy a nice conditioned original set.

Scabbards are routinely swapped by high end dealers more than you would care to know. It happened to me on a very high end dagger that I owned, sold to the dealer and then bought back. The dealer claimed someone else did it. It never left his hands.

Personally speaking, I don't think it's a huge deal to end up with a better scabbard that matches the dagger and improves it's quality. Most scabbards were not made for any particular dagger, just fitted to them.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by kingtiger:
Personally speaking, I don't think it's a huge deal to end up with a better scabbard that matches the dagger and improves it's quality. Most scabbards were not made for any particular dagger, just fitted to them.

Mark

I have to agree with Mark that it is no big deal, as long as the scabbard nicely fits with the dagger and that it is from the proper vintage.

Aside from a very few maker marked, it is impossible to tell if one particular scabbard belonged to that specific blade.

My education continues.
There is so much to learn in this hobby.
Thank you Mark and Pat.

quote:

Originally posted by kingtiger:
It happened to me on a very high end dagger that I owned, sold to the dealer and then bought back. The dealer claimed someone else did it. It never left his hands
Mark

gotta love it!!!!
Bret Van Sant