Deluxe Hunting Dagger by Eickhorn – D833
Of all the Hunting & Forestry Hirschfangers produced during the 3rd Reich, the Deluxe DJ sets itself apart from all others. These are striking edged weapons, in every sense of the word.
Typical for these ornate Hirschfangers, a massive stag grip sets the tempo immediately for these stunning hunting daggers. And none did it better than the king of Solingen, Carl Eickhorn. As you can see, the grip is a beauty, featuring light and dark features throughout. Though the emblem is an original Eickhorn product, it is a replacement. This information was passed on to us by the previous owner. The emblem is in good shape, displaying just some superficial wear to the top of the silver starburst ray pattern. The gorgeous sculptured silver clam shell, hoof crossguard, and pommel cap, are just the best. The relief pattern performed on these components by the craftsmen at the Eickhorn firm says it all. The ferrule is a bit loose, typical of the slight shrinkage of the stag over the years. In spite of that, the complete hilt assembly is solid and firm throughout.
The scabbard to this deluxe though not perfect, is in decent condition. The dyed green Moroccan leather is in good shape, void of any rips, tears, or condition issues. It has the typical light warpage seen with the spring runners that these shells were fitted with. As shown in the photos, the lower chape has taken some hits over time, and creased on the edge. Like most scabbards with this stapled lower component, it has a little play as well. The top fitting, lug and throat, are all secure and firmly in place. When we received this dagger, the stitching to this original frog was about to come apart. Instead of allowing this expensive component to deteriorate further, we had a saddle shop hand sew it back whole again. All the stitching is in place, and looks just as it did 85 years ago.
Finally the blade. There is nothing like the dark etches on one of these gorgeous Eickhorn deluxe pattern Hersheys. This blade remains tight in the fittings, perfectly straight, void of any sharpening, tipping, or cutting edge chips. There is a little bit of surface oxidation at the tip, which barely detracts from the over all beauty of the rest of this blade. As shown, the floral & fauna scene is perfectly etched, and strikingly burnished, dark as all get out. On the reverse is the mark of excellence which 3rd Reich collectors know all too well, the Eickhorn squirrel logo.
A budget price for a Deluxe Hirschfanger, for truly a beautiful dagger. SOLD