New early Heer dagger variation from Puma
Gentlemen, I have been researching this Puma variation for a few years now, waiting for enough examples to surface. I have recently found my third example in this study that adhere to the same exact fittings and scabbard. I own two of the three examples that I will show here, all having light metal fittings, tapered tangs and slant grips.
I propose that this was Puma’s first attempt to produce a lighter dagger that would not be as cumbersome as the heavy brass based Puma 1st. Perhaps before the aluminum examples were produced? I base this on the presence of a slant grip on all examples found so far, as only a lesser seen amount of aluminums are found with slant grips. One of my examples shows significant plating lifting, showing that the plating process was not perfected and Puma was still struggling with plating the new zinc alloy fittings.
The guards used are the Pack light weight (zinc alloy or pot metal) type seen on the Holler 2nd.. as you will see in the pictures they are hand enhanced on the head, chest and wreath. The pommel is also very similar and has a good bit of hand enhancement. The blades are initial quality, tapered tang and bare the early small diamond MM used on the type 1. The scabbard is a magnetic base example with bands that are hand worked with the casting seams covered with impressed acorns (just like the Puma 1st!, see the pic) and double flathead screws very much like the type 1 but the heads of the screws are ever so slightly smaller diameter.
I would like to name this variation the "Puma 2nd", Please give feedback and opinions, If you have an example please show it! I am including a pic of a third example from the Raleigh NC show that I examined and it was identicle to my two, so there is another out there that may be in your collecting hands
I propose that this was Puma’s first attempt to produce a lighter dagger that would not be as cumbersome as the heavy brass based Puma 1st. Perhaps before the aluminum examples were produced? I base this on the presence of a slant grip on all examples found so far, as only a lesser seen amount of aluminums are found with slant grips. One of my examples shows significant plating lifting, showing that the plating process was not perfected and Puma was still struggling with plating the new zinc alloy fittings.
The guards used are the Pack light weight (zinc alloy or pot metal) type seen on the Holler 2nd.. as you will see in the pictures they are hand enhanced on the head, chest and wreath. The pommel is also very similar and has a good bit of hand enhancement. The blades are initial quality, tapered tang and bare the early small diamond MM used on the type 1. The scabbard is a magnetic base example with bands that are hand worked with the casting seams covered with impressed acorns (just like the Puma 1st!, see the pic) and double flathead screws very much like the type 1 but the heads of the screws are ever so slightly smaller diameter.
I would like to name this variation the "Puma 2nd", Please give feedback and opinions, If you have an example please show it! I am including a pic of a third example from the Raleigh NC show that I examined and it was identicle to my two, so there is another out there that may be in your collecting hands
Best, Kevin.
