Koch & Rau, Stuttgart

Koch & Rau, Stuttgart

The Koch & Rau, Messerwarenfabrik, was founded in 1863 in Cannstatt, Stuttgart, and was a rare producer of cutlery and edged weapons. Although primarily based in Stuttgart, the company maintained a branch office in Solingen, linking it to the famous blade city. During the Nazi era, Koch & Rau specialized in early SA service daggers (Sturmabteilung) in the period before 1935. It did not receive an RZM code, limiting production to the early phase of NSDAP equipment and making the daggers highly rare specimens.

The firm produced approximately 1,000 SA service daggers, rated with a rarity of 4/5 and considered very rare. These daggers often feature Gau markings such as "P" (Pommern) and "Sw" (Südwest) and bear the motto "Alles für Deutschland." The daggers typically have nickel-silver fittings, and the blades are etched with the maker's name. Other products like SS service daggers or further edged weapons are not associated with Koch & Rau.

The logo or trademark of Koch & Rau typically consisted of the initials "KR" or the text "Koch & Rau Stuttgart," often in a plain font on the blade. This simple trademark emphasized the manufacturer's functional orientation and made the products recognizable in the collector's scene.

Today, the products of Koch & Rau represent a rare chapter in the history of the German edged weapons industry, particularly through the connection to Solingen. The limited production and focus on early Nazi weapons make them an important example of the Nazi era, ideal for an encyclopedia on blade weapon manufacturers. We are interested in purchasing products from this manufacturer.