M33 SA Dagger by August Bickel, ca. 1933-34
Price: $1095
BUY / RESERVE THIS ITEMDescription: Early period SA dagger that as never been cleaned. The blade shows only very light scabbard runners and retains nearly all of the original cross graining. The obverse of the blade has the nice, deep, well defined, acid etched script motto, “Alles für Deutschland”, which is crisp, dark and well defined. Blade has no sharpening. Makers-logo marked “August Bickel”. The dagger has the early, cast, solid, nickel/silver crossguard, pommel, and tang nut which all show a nice, even, light, age patina that matches the scabbard fitting perfectly. The dagger has a very nicely contoured, reddish brown hardwood grip, that has a nice snug fit to both the top and bottom grip fittings. The grip has a nicely inset, solid nickel/silver national eagle and enameled runic ‘SA’ button both intact.. The undented dagger’s dark anodized scabbard finish is 95% intact with solid nickel/silver fittings that match the blades fittings perfectly as they should. Scabbard fittings retain all their original, dome headed securing screws Nice, very early 1933-34 example.
Background: The SA, Sturmabteilung, was originally formed in 1921 as a protective guard unit for the political leaders of the fledgling NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, and as with the NSDAP the SA was structured along paramilitary lines. The SA recruited most of its personnel from the ranks of the various Freikorps, groups composed mainly of disgruntled, ex-WWI soldiers and was first utilized at a NSDAP meeting in Munich in November 1921.The SA M33 service dagger was the first dagger officially sanctioned by the NSDAP and was introduced on December 1933. The dagger was intended as an ornamental item and the design was adapted by Professor Woenne of the Solingen School of Commerce who had based it on the traditional 16TH century, Swiss “Holbein”, “Baselard” or “Basilard”, hunting dagger with the original design being attributed to the Hans Holbein the Younger, (Circa 1497-1543). Originally the daggers featured an anodized scabbard and utilized nice quality, solid, nickel/silver fittings while later models had cheaper, nickel/silver plated fittings and painted scabbards. Regulations dictated that the daggers were to be worn on the left side of the waist belt suspended by a specific, dagger hanger. In late 1934 items manufactured for the SA including daggers and accouterments came under the quality control of the RZM, Reichzeugmeisterei and as a result were marked with the RZM logo and makers code instead of the actual makers name & logo. Production of the SA M33 dagger was discontinued sometime in late 1942.
