A unit-marked EB47 with a FAG scabbard

[trajan]

This one came to me via my dealer buddy - a nice EB47 with an equally nice FAG scabbard with some original 'feld-grau' paint remaining.

These are fairly common but unit-marked examples are not, so a pleasing addition to the collection. It has the usual crowned 'Z' fraktur on the left-hand (reverse) ricasso and on the blade spine also, which makes it pretty certain that the Koeller concern was somehow involved in the production of these ones, as the identical fraktur is found on the EB2 fixable trench knife with that maker's mark, and also on Koeller-marked S.84/98 n.A. - although it could possibly be that the Koeller inspector 'Z' checked these EB47's made in the Ohligs district of Solingen, where Koeller were based... Note also that not all of these have the crowned 'Z' fraktur hinting at the involvement of other concerns in their production - e.g., Robert Klasse of Ohligs? - they produced 'finished' examples of Koeller-'Z' stamped EB2's...

The crossguard is numbered '184' on the right-hand (obverse) side, and 'I.EB.J.R.133.5' on the reverse. The obverse number will be a mystery, but similar numbers are found on S.84/98 n.A. in particular. The unit is: I [Kompagnie] Ersatz-Bataillon Infanterie Regiment 133 [Waffe] 5'. So, the first Ersatz bataillon for the Kgl. Sächs. 9. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 133, which - according to http://wiki-de.genealogy.net/IR_133, was based at Zwickau - but note that this on-line source is not, according to some, 100% reliable, but in the absence of a regimental history it will do for now! Carter notes (3.111) that most of the marked examples of this type were 'stamped by training units', but adds that photographic evidence of all types (i.e., studio and group and other ones) shows them distributed 'throughout the army'.

These EB47's are found in a variety of scabbards, but others have been found with FAG scabbards (marked for Friedrich August Göbel, of Höhscheid, another Solingen district). I have one other example but the mark on that is not so clear...

Trajan

[trajan]

Here is a larger view of the unit and the FAG marking - and also showing the crowned 'Z' on the ricasso

[calibre792x57.y]

Nice one Trajan - SW

[jscott]

Thats a very nice bayonet and scabbard Trajan. The EB47s are a unique looking bayonet and very nice to find one with unit markings. I continually see unit marked ersatz bayonets in books and online, but extremely rarely see them for sale (and have only one). Great find!

Jonathan

[trajan]

Thanks SW and jscott! It is only the second unit-marked Ersatz that I have - and the markings on the other are almost illegible so I was very happy to get this one. The EB47 is an interesting and in its way attractive form, with that rivetted grip, and I have three others for it to go with, but none of those in as nice a condition as this one!

My own personal view on unit marked Ersatz is that these were probably made and issued mainly in late 1914 or early 1915. I base this hypothesis on the indications that although a fair few S.84/98 n.A., introduced early 1915, are unit-marked, many less S.98/05 n.A, introduced mid/late-1915, are. This is just based on my observations, mind, with no recorded data to support the premise. But, it does seem to me that very few bayonets of any type made in 1916 or later were unit-marked, and so given the apparent scarcity of unit-marked S.98/05 n.A, a mid/late-1915 date seems to be likely for a now lost Prussian instruction reminding armourers that weapons need not be marked in war time, as per the DVE regulations.

Julian