ULTRA-RARE SA High Leader Dagger. Carl Eickhorn, raised gold squirrel within small double-oval TM. Nickel-silver hilt fittings show light surface wear/dark age patina to the pommel nut and upper and lower crossguards which feature cast, raised oak leaves in the correct style as pictured on pages 41-43 of Collecting the Edged Weapons of the Third Reich Volume I. The crossguards are internally marked in stamped numbers, "176" (upper) and "29" (lower). This mismatch is not an uncommon occurrence with ORIGINAL High Leader Daggers. The dark brown fine-grained grip fits well considering the normal wood shrinkage due to age. The grip shows light wear with several depressions/scuffs and some chipping to the upper obverse/reverse adjacent to the upper crossguard, but no major chips or hairline cracks. The silver grip eagle and SA insert are properly inset with no damage to the eagle or to the enamel on the SA insert. The genuine Damascus, maiden hair pattern blade grades VG+ showing wear and some gray shadowing/speckling and has been re-tipped resulting in a loss of approximately ¼" of the tip of the blade but shows no nicks to the cutting edges. The blade shows only faint traces of gilding remaining on the lower oak leaf sprig and raised motto with approximately 98% of the gilding remaining on the upper oak leaf sprig. The brown, leather covered scabbard show wear and portions of missing leather primarily to the edges of the shell with a depression to the lower obverse/reverse shell. The upper, center and lower nickel-silver scabbard fittings show light wear and dark age patina, but no depressions or damage to the retaining screws. The fittings feature deeply etched groves around the outer edges as shown in the above reference. The upper and center fittings are complete with the attaching rings, but the chained hanger has been lost to time. Although this dagger, which was located approximately 15 years ago at a street market in Moscow, is not in the condition usually offered by JRB&M, it is ORIGINAL and priced accordingly! For the collector who wants to own an example of one of the rarest Third Reich daggers, this is an opportunity not to be found often. RARE, untouched example! VG+ (25625) $21,500. CONSIGNMENT ITEM SOLD