Original German Pre WWII Long Dress Sawback Bayonet by Carl Eickhorn with Scabbard, Frog, and Police Troddel Knot

Original Item: Only One Available. The K-98 dress bayonet was a dress version of the combat style, and was worn by enlisted and NCO personnel for dress and parade occasions. The bayonets were finished with a high-quality nickel plating, with stag or bakelite grip plates and black painted scabbard. The choice of blade length was left to the purchaser, either the nickel-plated short (20cm) or long (25cm) version. There was usually a red or green colored felt insert in the rifle slot and the bayonet was suspended from a black or brown leather frog. Some had a functional bayonet latch, while it was ornamental on some. Often they would also have a sword knot, or troddle, and the color would indicate the branch or rank.

This Heer (Army) example is in very good service used condition throughout, and is the 9 3/4-inch blade "long" version with a very rare to find sawback style blade, which is in bright steel, not nickel plated. We have only ever had two sawback examples previously out of all the dress bayonets we have had previously. It comes complete with its original black enameled scabbard, black leather dress frog, and a police NCO troddel knot. The nickel plating on the steel hilt is still in good shape, retained at around 75%, showing some areas of plating loss and subsequent oxidation. The grip plates are the checkered black Bakelite type, in excellent condition and retained by nickel plated steel rivets with dressed obverse heads, which show plating loss and oxidation. The hilt features a working bayonet catch, though the felt insert is missing.

The carbon steel blade is still in very good condition, showing light wear and oxidation from age and use. It has however been sharpened on the main edge, possibly several times, and looks to have seen use during the war. With a steel hilt, the bayonet would definitely have been more up to the task than one with a soft alloy hilt. is correct it has not had any sharpening, and there is just a bit of roughness to the edge. The sawback spine is still quite sharp, with no signs of use, so it should be handled with care. The original brown leather blade buffer is still present against the crossguard.

The reverse ricasso is stamped with the Carl Eickhorn "Two Squirrel" trademark over C.E., for manufacture by the legendary firm of Carl Eickhorn, located in Solingen, the "City of Blades" in Western Germany. Per J. Anthony Carter's book GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS, this specific version of the mark was used on swords, "walking out" bayonets, and other similar items after 1906. This is exactly the mark that should be on an interwar Blade. This company was founded in 1865 by Carl Eickhorn, and is arguably the most famous of all Solingen makers. Not only could the family trace their history back 500 years, but they could also demonstrate involvement in the hardening and grinding industries for the same period. Truly the nobility of Solingen Edged weapon dynasties. Eickhorn edged weapons are the most desirable of all makers.

The scabbard is quite nice and still has about 80% of the original black enamel paint, with some scratching and chips through the enamel scattered throughout. There are no dents we can see or feel, and the remaining finish shows a lovely pattern of checking and crazing. The body is held by the included black leather frog, which is in very good lightly used condition, showing some dirt and stains on the exterior, and is an early style with aluminum rivets. Wrapped around it is a police NCO troddel knot, with a leather strap with three lines of silver metal thread, with the center one having a red thread in the middle. The end knot is silver bullion, with a tri color insert in the end. It is in good shape, though the red thread has pulled out of the strap along much of the length.

A very interesting service used example of a rare "sawback" 98K dress bayonet complete with scabbard, frog, and Police NCO Troddel knot. Ready to research and display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 9 3/4"
Blade Style: Single Edge w/ Fuller
Overall length: 14 1/2“
Crossguard: 2 7/8”
Scabbard Length: 10 3/4"