Hungary Hungary - WW2 Air Force Dress Daggers

[hunyadi]

During WW2 the Royal Hungarian Air Force was relatively small compared to many of her Axis nations. I don?t have the exact numbers, but it was marginal at best. The Royal Hungarian Air Force flew mainly outdated or dismally performing aircraft from Germany and Italy for the majority of the war only to receive ME-109's, FW-190's and a handful of JU-88's during the latter stages of the war. For what they were given they performed rather admirably in the face of the Red Army's onslaught. As air power was still relatively new by WW2 the Hungarian Air Force like many other nations created a new image for its members of the Air Force. The idea was to create a uniform that gave the image of the new knights of the sky. Invariably like many nations Hungary also adopted the open collar four pocket uniform with a neck tie motif - and like Germany and other nations equipped these new knights with a striking dagger or sword. Compared to the Luftwaffe, the Royal Hungarian Air Force did produce the dress daggers (the idea of the sword was not used in Hungary) in great quantities as the officers and NCOs who would actually need one or wear one was rather miniscule. The dagger was regulated to strictly dress and parade use, not a necessary item for the majority of the war, unless you were getting commissioned, receiving an award or getting married. I would even suspect that the daggers were utilized like the Hungarian Defense Forces do today for the dress sabers - you go down to the Quartermaster sign off for the swords (which includes your liability of having to pay for them should you not return them) and after the event return the sabers. (I don?t have any documentation that this was a practice - but Hungary during WW2 had few resources so corners were cut ant every angle - so in my humble opinion this is plausible) My point with all of this is that the daggers are extremely rare, yet desirable to many.

There were two forms of dress daggers. The officers dagger was finished in brass with a chromed blade while the NCOs dagger (which are infinitely more rare than the officers) had a chrome plated body with a brass finished eagle to create a stark contrast.

Here is my rather worn, but still a good example as one would hope to find officers dress dagger.

[hunyadi]

As you can see from above - the eagle is quite worn on the details - this seems to be a very common trait with daggers that were used as the inner cuff would rub against the face of the eagle. The grip is made from ebony wood which was lacquered in black to protect the wood. As this one is rather worn, the grip has lost a majority of the lacquer, but still retains the details. Notice the details to the shield and the attachment of the hanger rings. These are soldered on and then finished, not cast as one piece, or screwed on as some reproductions are. Perhaps the most tell tale sign of an original dagger sheath is the minute detail to the curve. I can only say that originals can be spotted after seeing 100 fakes which do not have this feature. I have tried to enhance this unique curve with some graphics, but I realize that its not perfect.

[hunyadi]

The second easiest way to spot a reproduction is with the release button. The release button for the officers dagger were made with a different grade of brass and therefore are of a more yellow brass than the rest of the body. Unfortunately this photo does not show it clearly with the lighting, but never accept a dagger where the color of the button on an officers dagger is the same as the rest of the body.

[hunyadi]

Finally for officer?s daggers, the easiest way to spot a modern reproduction is with the blade. Never in the history of the Royal Hungarian Air Force were the blades etched save for Miklos Horthy's son's dagger that was a gift to him. The blades are plain without any marks or distinguishing maker?s marks, serial numbers and never ever with engraved names. All of those are pure unadulterated fantasy...

[hunyadi]

Here are some images of an NCO dagger that came up for auction many many years ago and landed in the collection of an advanced Hungarian collector. Notice the finish to the eagle and the distinct variation in the push button. (cross hatching and the lower mount) According to "collector" information the NCO dagger was not introduced until 1944, but I have no way of confirming this.

[hunyadi]

more images of the NCO dagger

[hunyadi]

As these daggers ganeraly hover just below the $1000 range the industry to produce reproductions has spurend an new industry...The Royal Hungarian Paratrooper Dress Dagger - there never was such an item...

[hunyadi]

more images - note the engraving...

Edited March 23, 2009 by hunyadi

[hunyadi]

To get an idea of rarity and prices for these I will share my experience while living in Hungary for 7 years. In 2002 I purchased an original NCO dagger with the leather hangers for the sum of about $300. I subsequently sold it due to a financial burden to a collector in the USA for $700 in 2004.

In 2008 I pruchased the officers dagger you see above for $500, but it is quite worn by many collectors standards. In all my time there I encountered only the one NCO dagger and 5 officer daggers which were undoubtily original.

[Gordon Craig]

Charles,

Thanks for putting this together. Great resource material.

Regards,

Gordon

[Janos]

Finally for officer's daggers, the easiest way to spot a modern reproduction is with the blade. Never in the history of the Royal Hungarian Air Force were the blades etched save for Miklos Horthy's son's dagger that was a gift to him. The blades are plain without any marks or distinguishing maker's marks, serial numbers and never ever with engraved names. All of those are pure unadulterated fantasy...

Dear Hunyadi,

First I would like to congratulation for you for your study on Hungarian fake daggers. It is VERY useful for dagger collectors.

But your statement: "The blades are plain without any marks or distinguishing maker's marks, serial numbers and never ever with engraved names." is not true.

I am with you: I have never seen any original Hungarian AF dagger with engraved names, but there ARE genuine daggers with maker mark and serial numbers.

For example the maker: Koz?k Antal marked AND numbered the daggers' blades he produced.

Ther are known makers of the AF dagger: M?sz?ros Lajos (highly faked), Koz?k Antal (faked also), Morzs?nyi (not faked), etc.

And there are very nice etched (but NEVER gilted!) blades also.

I have four officer and an NCO dagger in my collection. I would gladly post pictures if you interested.

Greetings from Hungary,

J?nos

[Gordon Craig]

J?nos,

I am sure that we would all appreciate seeing your daggers.

Regards,

Gordon

[Janos]

Gordon,

first here comes the Koz?k example. Plated plane blade. Maker marked and numbered (659).

[Janos]

Closeup of the grip and the ricasso.

[Janos]

Reverse side.

Note the coat of arms on the ricasso. And what you won't see on fakes: a screw secures the pommel.

[Janos]

Last photo: marks

And an interesting detail: a Hungarian coat of arms is stamped to the lower hanger ring.

[Gordon Craig]

J?nos,

Thanks for the great photos. I am surprised to see the number stamped over the maker mark. There also seems to be something stamped into the other side of the balde. Is there? You wouldn't happen to live in or close to Budapest would you? I'd really like to see your daggers with my own eyes and hands. I live on the Buda side in Rozsadom.

Regards,

Gordon

[Janos]

Hi Gordon,

Koz?k Antal made swords also, and he stampes blades always this way.

You wrote you know Kurt Glemser-so do I.

I started to collecting 6 years ago, and he and his books helped me a lot. Hungarian daggers were a minefield for me for years, but now I think I have enough knowledge to judge them.

J?nos

[Paul R]

The para daggers are fantastic.

[Gordon Craig]

Paul,

Did you read all of the text on the para daggers? Just in case you didn't, they never existed. Pure fantasy. Sure are pretty though!

Regards,

Gordon

[Janos]

Hi ,

today I made photos of the daggers.

Left to right:

1. NCO dagger marked HUNG?RIA plated blade, excellent quality.

2. Officer dagger marked KOZ?K, plated blade.

3. Officer dagger marked M?sz?ros Lajos, plated blade.

4. Officer dagger no maker mark, Hungarian crest stamped on the ricasso. Plated blade.

5. Officer dagger unmarked, etched and personalized plated blade.

6. Officer dagger, unmarked etched blade.

[Janos]

Reverse view.

[Janos]

The two etched blades.

[Janos]

Closeup of the etch.

I hope you like them.

J?nos

[Gordon Craig]

J?nos,

Thanks for posting your daggers.

Regards,

Gordon