36 Daggers

[Guest martin taylor]

I've been enduring an enforced holiday from collecting for this past year but just to refire dormat brain cells, I would really love to see pictures of some 36 SS Daggers again. Particularly interested in some close ups of the skulls and the tiny SS stamp. JUst out of curiousity, are these beautiful daggers still as pricey as they were a few years ago?

Can anybody oblige?

[Larry Lipps]

If it's of interest I'll post a few photos from an article I recently wrote on Type I and Type II SS dagger chains. Yes, these are as pricey as they ever were.

First is the difference between the links attaching the chain to the cloverleaf. The Type I is on the left. Keep in mind that the Type II is a solid nickle chain and the Type I is plated. While not easily seen in this photo, notice that the runes on the Type I are larger than the runes on the Type II links.

Edited November 14, 2005 by Larry Lipps

[Larry Lipps]

Next is the actual skulls themselves. The Type I has better detail to the skull and the Type II better detail to the crossbones. Also take note of the difference in background pebbling.

Edited November 14, 2005 by Larry Lipps

[Larry Lipps]

The approval stamps are slightly different as well. The Type I has squared holes in the links while the Type II has rounded holes.

Edited November 14, 2005 by Larry Lipps

[Larry Lipps]

Lastly, the DRGM mark that often shows through the center of the top cloverleaf, and doesn't on the Type II. While there are other suttle diferences, this is the main aspects of being able to identify Type I and Type II 1936 Dagger chains. I've seen some interesting evidence lately that there may be an ever rarer Type III, but I think the jury is still out at the moment.