RARE MAKER! Original Early SA Dagger By Friedrich von der Kohlen – Solingen-Gräfrath
This is a truly outstanding early-pattern SA dagger, produced by the rare and highly sought-after maker Friedrich von der Kohlen GmbH, Stahlwarenfabrik, based in Solingen-Gräfrath, Germany. This is the first example of any item we've encountered by this elusive manufacturer—making it a significant piece for advanced collectors.
The dagger comes complete with its original early anodized scabbard and an early brown leather belt hanger, believed to be original to the piece.
Fittings & Grip: All fittings are solid nickel silver, with the crossguards and tang nut in very good to excellent condition. They display a pleasing, lightly aged patina throughout. The lower reverse crossguard is Gau-marked “Om” for Ostmark, a region located in the far east of pre-war Germany, centered around the city of Posen (modern-day PoznaÅ„, Poland). This mark dates the dagger to 1935 or earlier. The nickel tang nut shows no signs of turning, and the hilt remains tight to the tang.
The grip is a beautiful red mahogany brown, with a medium center ridge and a tight, near-perfect fit to the guards—only a minor gap on one side. The SA roundel is well set, retaining most of its dark brown enamel with only minor aging. The early nickel eagle is superb, with sharp details still present on the beak, breast and wing feathering, talons, wreath, and swastika—showing just light, even wear.
Blade: The blade is in excellent to near-mint condition, retaining nearly all of its original crossgrain finish. The "Alles für Deutschland" motto remains crisp and deep, with approximately 75% or more of the original darkening still intact. Some runner marks are present, as is typical for these pieces, but the blade remains one of the standout features of this dagger.
Maker Markings: The reverse of the blade bears the rare "Back-to-Back FK" monogram, along with the full maker mark:
(FK Monogram)
FR. V. D. KOHLEN
SOLINGEN
This rare trademark represents a seldom-seen maker from the famed “City of Blades.”
Scabbard & Hanger: The scabbard is straight and retains most of its original brown anodized finish and lacquer, with only light surface scratches and wear. The solid nickel fittings show typical age and patina, with a minor dent on the chape and a slight seam separation. All four original screws are intact; however, the bottom two show evidence of having been turned at some point. The throat fitting matches the dagger's crossguards beautifully.
The attached early brown leather hanger is in very good to excellent condition, showing only light wear around the metal fixtures. The leather remains strong and would benefit from some conditioner, though it can also be left untouched for a more original display. The metal hardware shows light, honest age.
This is an excellent, very early SA dagger by an extremely rare and desirable Solingen maker, complete with its scabbard and belt hanger. A superb piece, ready to display in any advanced edged weapons or Third Reich collection.
