Fancy Letter Opener: A childhood yard sale find

One summer around 1979 near South Morningside Drive, I bought an old, fancy letter opener at a yard sale. It captured my imagination - was it a decorative uniform dagger saved by a kid that was shipped off to military school? Was it a vet's keepsake stolen off a dead body or was it traded for a few bars of chocolate? I was certain that it was used to open mail over the years. I later decided it must just be a letter opener.

It's been sitting here on my desk for years and I got curious one day. A few searches later, I found it - AKA, an Italian Fascist Dagger. Is it a replica? Maybe, but I doubt it. I wonder who that vet was. I wonder who the original owner was.


WW II Italian Dress Dagger with Eagle Head 

Rare WW II Italian Dress Dagger with Eagle Head carried by Militia for National Security more commonly known as Black Shirts. Knife in scabbard measures 13 3/4". Blade measures 7 7/8"

1938 ITALIAN FASCIST DAGGER SALUTE TO HITLER