Italian WW2 M37 MVSN Officers Dagger
A very nice Italian M37 MVSN Officer’s Dagger with original scabbard and short hanger, issued to the Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale (MVSN), or “Blackshirts.”
Measuring 30 cm in total length, it features a 17 cm nickel-plated steel blade housed in an aluminum hilt with a hooked quillon and distinctive double-sided eagle-head pommel. The black celluloid grip panels are flush-set and adorned with a gilded Partito Nazionale Fascista insignia.
Blade, excellent to near mint condition.
The chromed scabbard remains in excellent condition, with original finish intact, a small dent on the front, nothing major.
This Italian M37 Officer’s Dagger stands as a rare and iconic artifact from Fascist Italy, preserved in overall excellent condition.
Historical Description: The M1937 Fascist Italian Leader Dagger was a ceremonial weapon issued to high-ranking members of Benito Mussolini’s National Fascist Party and paramilitary organizations like the Blackshirts. Inspired by ancient Roman pugiones, it featured a double-edged blade, a black ridged grip, and brass or gilded fittings often adorned with the Fasces, symbolizing authority and Fascist ideology. Introduced in 1937, it was not used in combat but served as a status symbol and propaganda tool linking Fascism to Roman imperial grandeur. After World War II and the fall of Mussolini’s regime, the dagger became a controversial collector’s item due to its association with Italian Fascism.
