4thGordons Posted 10 July , 2017 Share Posted 10 July , 2017 I just added one (the 98n/A - I think - the long thin one!) so I was having a sort out and took pictures. details from right to left The two ersatz types are free of any markings and I believe are Turkish used/modified - they fit well on my Turkish G88 and later 98 Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted 10 July , 2017 Share Posted 10 July , 2017 Nice, although the bayonet Frog is a WW2 Spanish Mauser one, All the best Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 10 July , 2017 Share Posted 10 July , 2017 10 hours ago, 4thGordons said: I just added one (the 98n/A - I think - the long thin one!) so I was having a sort out and took pictures. The two ersatz types are free of any markings and I believe are Turkish used/modified - they fit well on my Turkish G88 and later 98 Chris A nice representative set of what was around and used in WW1! Yes, that's a S.98 n.A. by the look of things - the S.98 a.A. had a one piece grip. I would expect that one to be marked? Does it fit the scabbard or has that shrunk? The Ersatz are (from the left), one of the ever-so-common EB 9-13 series - which is not to knock it as it has its Feldgrau-painted grip, which don't always survive. But, its original blade length would be around 31-32 cm, and so it has been 'Turked', and it looks to have been given a false-edge which has obscured the top part of the fuller making it look to be full length. The second is one of my favourites, one of the EB 41-46 group, which all share the same grip-type. The EB 41-44 series have a blade modelled on the S.98/05 'butcher', the EB 45-46 having a parallel-sided blade, as with yours (the EB 46 only differs in lacking a 'muzzle-ring'). This again should be longer than what you have - at around 47-48 cm., and the way that the fuller edges run into the point prove it has has been 'Turked'. Writing from memory, Germany began to supply Gew.88 and Gew.98 and bayonets to go with them in 1916/1917, after supplies of Gew.98 and S.98/05 and 84/98 bayonets began to meet what was needed in the field. The 'circumcision' of the bayonets sent to Turkey seems to have been in the Republican period, and so post 1923. Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppertales Posted 21 July , 2017 Share Posted 21 July , 2017 Hi. I picked up a bayonet similar to the one on the right in your photo. I had hoped it would fit my 1888 Commission Rifle I purchased last Dec. The tip of yours is a bit different from mine. Mine seems to be a bit more tapered. I don't have a photo to post. The only maker's mark is a bust of a knight in steel full face helmet. No other markings. It came with scabbard and frog. Nice group of bayonets you have there....chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 21 July , 2017 Share Posted 21 July , 2017 6 hours ago, coppertales said: Hi. I picked up a bayonet similar to the one on the right in your photo. I had hoped it would fit my 1888 Commission Rifle ... The tip of yours is a bit different from mine. Mine seems to be a bit more tapered. ... The only maker's mark is a bust of a knight in steel full face helmet. That bayonet on the right is an S.98, and so it will not fit the Gew.88 - you'll need to buy a Gew.98, but it will be easier and cheaper to find a bayonet that fits the Gew.88 - the two Ersatz bayonets on the left in the photograph will do, as they were designed to fit either a Gew.88 or a Gew 98. Always best to see a photograph of course! But from your descriptions... The makers mark on this one is for Weyersberg Kirschbaum & Cie AG (WKC), Solingen, and indicates that this was a 'private-purchase' bayonet, one bought for outside off-duty wear. These private-purchase S.98 are not that common, and being a private-purchase one it need not have exactly the same shape and profile as an issue one, which might be why the tip is different. Trajan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppertales Posted 21 July , 2017 Share Posted 21 July , 2017 Thanks. I think my bayonet fits your description of a private purchase. It appears to be plated. It has never been sharpened. There are no unit or such markings on it. I will try to get a photo posted. Pretty blade on it. I have a bunch of ersatz bayonets. I will try them on the rifle. I picked up the 1888 rifle last winter. It is in excellent condition. Been looking for one for a long time. Shoots. well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 21 July , 2017 Share Posted 21 July , 2017 16 minutes ago, coppertales said: ... It appears to be plated. ... I picked up the 1888 rifle last winter. It is in excellent condition. If plated, that confirms it as a Private-purchase. Any unit marks on the Gew.88? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppertales Posted 21 July , 2017 Share Posted 21 July , 2017 I don't remember if there are any unit markings on the Gew88. I don't have the rifle here to look. I believe the rifle was in Turkey at some point. It must have been an officer's rifle due to the condition, at least 98 percent bluing. I took some photos of the bayonet. Lets see if I remember how to post them....chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 21 July , 2017 Share Posted 21 July , 2017 Yes, it is plated... But a nice collector's piece! My instinct tells me that not many private-purchase S.98's are around - they would be rareish to begin with when first available over a century ago, and many thousands less were made than the issue-ones! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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