Government Official’s Dagger with Hangers — Alcoso ACS Solingen

Here’s a fine example Government Official’s Dagger, complete with the original hangers. The silvering overall is 100%, and does not appear to have been polished or cleaned – just a nice natural patina.

The artificial mother-of-pearl grip plates are without cracks or chips, only very minor use scratches noticeable in the right lighting. The hilt fittings are in beautiful condition with no major scratches and no dings, save a couple minor dings on the top of the eagle’s head (typical). The spanner nut holes are not mangled like we typically see with these, but I’m going to say it’s likely (based on the small amount of wear we see) that it’s possible the nut was removed at some point in the dagger’s life. The crossguard eagle shows normal wear, but no major blemishes to either side. The Swastika and wreath show the most wear, which is expected since they stick out farther from the dagger than any other part of the piece. The somewhat mangled look of the Swastika within the wreath is typical for Alcoso — Alcoso not being known for their detail as much as some other makers.

Below the crossguard you can see the original buffer pad. The blade is not the prettiest you’ll find (which has been reflected in our price), but at least it’s original! Many of these daggers have had their blades replaced simply by transplanting an Alcoso army dagger’s blade. It is our belief that based on the condition of this blade, it’s very likely the original (otherwise why not replace it with a nicer blade). That being said, the “cloudy” areas seen in the photos is only surface deep — meaning there is no texture to it and cannot be felt. Running your finger along the surface of the blade is as smooth with this one as with any other mint blade. It is our opinion that someone skilled with reworking these blades could clean it up nicely. The blade is otherwise in very nice shape, with no nicks, scratches, bends or dings.

The scabbard shows average wear that is in-line with the rest of the piece. No dings, dents or notable scratches. The scabbard does however have some surface corrosion spots (about 5% of the scabbard surface). Both throat screws are present and do not appear to have been messed with.

Last, but not least, we have the correct (and original) Government Dagger hangers. The fabric is frayed along the outer edges, and a field repair was done to the back side of one of the straps (see photos), but all of the hardware is present and in average condition. The main hanger clasp spring is missing so the clasp does not close.