I would like to request some help with identifying this dagger. It has been sitting in my dresser drawer for 40 years, ever since my father gave it to me. He got it from a fellow soldier while he was in the Army stationed at Fort Shanks, NY, from where he was discharged in March of 1946. As best he can remember, he was stationed there for about six months. I could not find the maker's mark in the list of marks on this site. Since it has a plastic handle, I always wondered whether it was authentic. Note also that the name "Germany" is parallel to the blade edge, rather than perpendicular to it.

The questions that I hope someone here can answer are these: Can you tell from the mark who made it? When is the earliest it could have been made or what is the most likely time of manufacture? Is this a piece collectors would be interested in or is it just garbage?

(Apologies if this post violates any board conventions. I did read the FAQs and code of conduct and don't think this violates anything I read.)

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Yep, this is a B&A SA dagger.
These were made immediately after the war as souveniers for vets.
All B&A marked pieces are of immediate post-war construction with plastic grips and "Germany" stamped on the blade.
As far as I know, all B&A SA daggers were sold without scabbards.

Even though they are port-war, they do have collectable value as they are interesting pieces of history.

Good hunting,
Johnny

O.B. Johnny nailed it with his info. I have seen these daggers sell for $250-300. Regards, Leipzig

Thanks much guys for the info! I appreciate it very much. Does B&A stand for a particular company? I didn't see it in the list of maker's marks.

Yes, I believe that B&A does stand for a specific maker, but you will not find it in the GDC reference list because that list contains only period 3rd reich makers.
B&A apparently sprang up immediately after the war to make souveniers.
I know nothing about the company more than this. perhaps someone else can help out further.

I believe the maker is Bolte & Anshutz and they were made in the 50s from a mix of original and modern parts. As far as I know, they were not made directly after the war as souvenirs. One can find ads for these in 50's publications like Popular Mechanics, but as already mentioned, they are collectible in their own right.

Red

Red, this one was apparently made well before the 50's as my father acquired it prior to his discharge in March of '46.

If anyone can help shed some light on this apparent discrepancy, it would be appreciated.

I have a B&A SA blade identical to the one shown. I'd like to find an original plastic grip and the correct crossgaurds. It won't be worth much but I can put it with my Adolph Hitler Cufftitle by Patchking.
Brian Rich
"Collecting since before I was born"

There are two B&A SA Daggers on Germania Internationale right now. One is $350, the other is $395 due to the gilt in the motto. Must be a mega mint prototype.
Brian Rich
"Collecting since before I was born"

Nice original B&A dagger.

maybe the SA with the gilt in the lettering is a super duper rare,hitherto unheard of or seen High Leaders Dagger...maybe there is a stash of these too lying about in vets drawers/tool boxes somewhere only waiting to be "discovered"...

Maybe there is a chained version with high quality silver (or silvery) chains just waiting in a wall near you.

John

of course there is a chained version,or soon will be,,someone is working on them right now

There were 3 different blades- acid etched silver gray lettering (standard), acid etched with black burnishing and lastly gilt lettering (rarest)- Mike

Yes and they will have genuine silver stamps on them as well.

Does anyone have a collection of all three?

quote:

Originally posted by seany:
Yes and they will have genuine silver stamps on them as well.

Stamped .800 and the guys in the know have been getting them out of the weeds in the old days for nothing!

...and there are mega-rare variations of this rare plastic grip varient also...and a break-down folding stock "Huhnlein" memorial prototype that could also be used as a bayo on your VG-1-5/MKb/Stg/Gerat type assualt weapon.

-serge-

quote:

Originally posted by Notaguru:
Does anyone have a collection of all three?

Since notaguru been collecting "before he was born" then he would know what this is. Ya see I was there too (in spirit) and if you guys wern't there then sooo-soorry GI. You don't get your Coburg Badge.




Now seriously...Onyx, I like your B&A SA. Funny how one company didn't have scabbards to sell with these, while another company discovered by Atwood many years later had crates full.

In looking at my B&A SA blade, I notice that the tang shape and width is different as well as the high center ridge. This would lead me to belive that these were post war manufactured and not leftover stock. I can't get it to fit a normal grip or crossguard.
Serge: you note the lack of scabbards for some an abundance for others, good point. I raised a question about the B&A Army & Luft daggers and was duly ignored. So I'll ask again, why do almost all B&A Army & Luft daggers have white grips? Were they able to overcome the instability problem?
Brian Rich
"Collecting since before I was born"

I picked-up a B&A blade and scabbard years ago at a show.The throat of this scabbard is thicker than any other SA scabbard I have. So I was thinking it was specific for the B&A. Here are some photos.

Close up of the throat and makers mark.

Throat, you can see the runners inside.

Disassembled, it even has a weight in the tip.