RARE MODEL 1937 ITALIAN HIGH RANKING OFFICER’S DRESS DAGGER WITH MUSSOLINI CONNECTION.

RARE MODEL 1937 ITALIAN HIGH RANKING OFFICER’S DRESS DAGGER WITH MUSSOLINI CONNECTION. The knife has an unmarked 7-3/4” x 7/8” flat ground upside down mounted blade with 4-3/4” back grind. Handle is aluminum with a hooked one-side hand guard with dbl-sided eagle pommel and gutta percha panels with a brass fasces on left side (Roman symbol of authority). Accompanied by its orig, black painted, metal scabbard with gold washed throat, hanger bands & tip and a gold washed chain with a large stylized “M” at top and belt clip with Italian eagle having a black enamel background perched on a bar marked “SPQR”. This dagger was purchased by the consignor in about 1962 from Jacabus Ten Berge while they were both employed at The Record newspaper in Hackensack, NJ, Mr. Ten Berge was the editor and consignor was employed as a printer. Consignor states that Mr. Ten Berge was an officer in WWII and Korea who greatly resembled Ernest Hemingway. Consignor states that Mr. Ten Berge related to him that in April or May of 1945 he was in Milano, Italy when the bodies of Mussolini, his girlfriend Clara Petacci & Gen. Achille Starace, Mussolini’s aide who had been Secretary of the Fascist Party (1931-39) were brought into the city square. Mussolini and fourteen others had been executed elsewhere and brought to an Esso gas station in Milano. Gen. Starace was discovered hiding in Milano and executed on the spot and he, along with Mussolini & five others, were hanged, upside down from a steel girder in front of the gas station. He stated that Communist partisans armed with machine guns forced Mr. Ten Berge & his driver-photographer to the ground and were about to kill them when a village priest ran out of the church yelling “Americano, Americano” and interceded, saving their lives. They were released and Mr. Ten Berge went over to look at bodies and removed this dagger from Gen. Starace’s body. Consignor states that he purchased the dagger from Mr. Ten Berge in about 1962 and was given a number of photographs from that day in 1945 but, unfortunately, has misplaced them. CONDITION: Very fine. Blade retains virtually all of its orig polish or plating, whatever the case may be. Handle is oxidized aluminum, somewhat dull, with gutta percha panels which are in fine condition. Sheath has nicks & scratches with tip retaining most of its orig gold wash with traces of gold wash on other parts. The chain, the “M” and belt clip retain most of their orig gold wash. 4-32903 JR628 (3,000-5,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2007

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	3328A	$3,162.00	RARE MODEL 1937 ITALIAN HIGH RANKING OFFICER’S DRESS DAGGER WITH MUSSOLINI CONNECTION. The knife has an unmarked 7-3/4” x 7/8” flat ground upside down mounted blade with 4-3/4” back grind. Handle is aluminum with a hooked one-side hand guard with dbl-sided eagle pommel and gutta percha panels with a brass fasces on left side (Roman symbol of authority). Accompanied by its orig, black painted, metal scabbard with gold washed throat, hanger bands & tip and a gold washed chain with a large stylized “M” at top and belt clip with Italian eagle having a black enamel background perched on a bar marked “SPQR”. This dagger was purchased by the consignor in about 1962 from Jacabus Ten Berge while they were both employed at The Record newspaper in Hackensack, NJ, Mr. Ten Berge was the editor and consignor was employed as a printer. Consignor states that Mr. Ten Berge was an officer in WWII and Korea who greatly resembled Ernest Hemingway. Consignor states that Mr. Ten Berge related to him that in April or May of 1945 he was in Milano, Italy when the bodies of Mussolini, his girlfriend Clara Petacci & Gen. Achille Starace, Mussolini’s aide who had been Secretary of the Fascist Party (1931-39) were brought into the city square. Mussolini and fourteen others had been executed elsewhere and brought to an Esso gas station in Milano. Gen. Starace was discovered hiding in Milano and executed on the spot and he, along with Mussolini & five others, were hanged, upside down from a steel girder in front of the gas station. He stated that Communist partisans armed with machine guns forced Mr. Ten Berge & his driver-photographer to the ground and were about to kill them when a village priest ran out of the church yelling “Americano, Americano” and interceded, saving their lives. They were released and Mr. Ten Berge went over to look at bodies and removed this dagger from Gen. Starace’s body. Consignor states that he purchased the dagger from Mr. Ten Berge in about 1962 and was given a number of photographs from that day in 1945 but, unfortunately, has misplaced them. CONDITION: Very fine. Blade retains virtually all of its orig polish or plating, whatever the case may be. Handle is oxidized aluminum, somewhat dull, with gutta percha panels which are in fine condition. Sheath has nicks & scratches with tip retaining most of its orig gold wash with traces of gold wash on other parts. The chain, the “M” and belt clip retain most of their orig gold wash. 4-32903 JR628 (3,000-5,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2007 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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