for Austro-Hungarian civil servants, military and naval officials (the officials of the Austro-Hungarian naval combat forces carried the civil servant daggers as late as 1891). Description: 2.5 cm wide leather waistbelt, the inside lined with red morocco leather forming a narrow border on the outside edges. The exterior of the belt applied with gold lace with one black stripe through the centre, the left side of the belt with two 17 cm long and 2.5 cm wide straps running diagonally downwards to a gilt brass ring attachment at the lower end, connecting to the dagger case with gold lace applications, the two carrier straps with only the upper 3.5 cm section bearing the gold lace with black stripe, the lower 13.5 cm of bare brown leather sewn to the upper section, possibly resulting from an unprofessionally conducted strap extension, a gilt semi-circular mount with a small ring at its vertex attached 9.5 cm from the waistbelt left end, the upper section of the mount designed as a double-headed eagle with spread wings, the breastplate bearing the imperial initials 'FJI', the right belt end with similar mount with a gilt serpent with head attached in the ring, the thickened centre of the serpent body similarly bearing the imperial initials, the corresponding part of this S-shaped clasp similarly formed as a serpent with head, closure via connection to the mount ring on the belt left side, distinct traces of wear and use, however still good condition considering age, very rare. A photocopy of the sword belt closure from the illustration supplements to the uniform regulations of 1855 - here a sabre belt - is available. (Ma)