Imperial German Bayonet’s from my Collection

[Rafal1971]

There is a Gothic inscription in this place, e.g. the name of the unit, the name of the owner, etc

 

And on a well-preserved dress bayonet it looks like this (internet)

[Steve1871]

Hey Robert Taylor and Rafal1971, thanks for those photo’s

Robert, your bayonet in question, at first, looked smaller pommel. My fault. On the S.71 Hirschfangers, they used actual bayonets from regular bayonets in production. I have 4 dress and several Jaeger rifles. The dress fit and lock just as the regular issue pieces. Yours had the grips replaced as AndyBsk noted.Looking at the pommel, the leaf spring is bare metal , as it should, but the cross guard ( slightly bent) and pommel had a odd tone, to me, looks like varnish or something, same tone on the blade. Could not read the inscription but with a good cleaning, remove the varnish, or whatever it it,it also creates a sealant and actually helps preserve metal, it might clean up better than you hope. Again, does yours have the standard “vine” pattern on the spine?

S.71 Hirschfanger Dress/ Parade piece, . Here few my pic’s

[robert taylor]

Thank you for the comment! The truth is that I do not yet own the bayonet, but I am negotiating to purchase it. So you say it's a valuable piece? If I buy it, I can answer the questions.

[AndyBsk]

Excellent pc Steve.

To Robert it hangs on price by this degree of cleaning of blade, the wrong wood grips and terible hexagonal countersunk, i would assume the piece should be not so high value as typical by HF71.

[robert taylor]

It costs aprox. 75-80 euros.

[Steve1871]

For 75-80 euros , jump on it NOW before someone else does

I buy here in U.S., and the U.K., a standard S.71 Hirschfanger even without a scabbard can go for $900 to above average with unit marked and a correct scabbard, I have seen as high as $1800 being sold. Condition is a big thing

On the dress pieces. A nice one, no scabbard May go for as little as $700, nice with scabbard I track at  $1200.  Or more.These prices are from what I have seen sold in last year or so. 
The S.71 Hirschfanger. Dress I have in 3 types

1. plain, all steel is chrome plated.       
2. chromed, then etched, usually hunter scene on one side, with a unit on other.       
3. chromed, etched and to an individual 

again, 75-80 euro is extreamly cheap

goid luck

[robert taylor]

Thx!

[AndyBsk]

Yes the price is moderate, even on the piece is most real really damaged, on crosspiece and pommel could be a overlaquered, which could be removed, a leather grips could be made teoretically, the rusted and cleaned blade is probably not real to bring to better condition.

[Steve1871]

Bayonet # 104.       
11/24/23

S.71

Spine.          Crown/W/ letter.      Crown/letter
Maker.         E. Wilhelm 
Unit.            173.R..D.2.11.

the Rarest ( I think) maker or these bayonets,    No scabbard. The release/ leaf spring is stuck, I screwed up and try to push it in, can be fixed, just another project to do later. Only have two other E. Wilhelm’s. I am hoping the unit is a scarce, rare one. The “ E” is not for Ersatz with a “D” behind it, so thinking Eisenbahn(train) spelling? And D is for Depot. Acceptance proofs and other, pommel, lower front of guard. Needs a good cleaning. Did not have time and my fingers were getting numb from the cold

Have a rare quillback to post next week😊

[AndyBsk]

The piece is nice but i dont believe it has something with Eisenbahn, its most real 173 Infanterie Regiment which is here important, E is for Ersatz D could be Detachement or Depot, so it could be Ersatz Detachement 2.Company and weapon nr. or teoretically Ersatz Batallion Depot 2.Company nr11. The E.Wilhelm is well documented on PFM1871 anyway the S1871 probably only short time on early period.

[Steve1871]

O.K., Andy. Thanks

Still,,the D for depot, still makes it a fairly scarce marking. I have not seen one anyway

[Steve1871]

Bayonet #105.       
12/03/23

S.98aA 

 

Spine.           Crown/ Saxon cypher/02.  Crown
Maker.          R.O.M.    Soemmerda 
Unit.             131.R.6.121.          
                     
131 Saxon Infantry Regiment, 6 kompany.waff 121

This is only the 3 or 4th one I seen by this maker. Two were overpriced, one looked too NEW, like new grips and must have been polished or even a reproduction piece. The way I felt. So this is my first piece from this maker. I do not know how many this kompany made, how many years.          
Without my books handy, this original/ first type with single piece wrap around grip , adopted and names S.98 after tooling and set up and everything, did not start production till beginning of 1899.  Some believe a small number were made in 1898, but No one seems to have seen/ photo of a 1898 piece. The one piece grip was said to be prone to cracking with constant shooting with bayonet attached. The New S.98nA has standard two piece grips. The nA went into production fairly early in 1902 I believe. This leaves me to think that only the beginning of 1902, maybe 2-3 months of production. So this S.98aA 1902 dated I believe ( might) make it a rare date for this aA.         
Has acceptance stamps in all right places, pommel,screws, front face of guard. Blade is still bright, with guard and pommel patina meaning it spent most its life inside scabbards. The grips are dark with wear but still show the ribs.      
The scabbard has no unit stamp, the stamps are more faint, but still there, darker patina with staples intact and seam strait and intact

If I wrong on anything, feel free to correct me.  Hope you guys like it!

Edited 3 December , 2023 by Steve1871

[AndyBsk]

Nice bayonet with scarce maker, i believe it was mainly produced in 1900-1903 from Rheinmetall. The unit is not 131 IR as this is a Lothringisches IR, more real its a 181 IR which is 15. Infantry Regiment of Saxony located in area of Chemnitz. Strange is the GR 02 stamp, looks like overstamped over some older, which means the ruler was a Georg Rex even i believe there is under different proof. So when we assume the production was realised by Georg it could be not earlier as in june 1902.  I believe the W on spine as inspector stamp is from Erfurt area as same were reported by Erfurt bayonets.

Edited 3 December , 2023 by AndyBsk

[zuluwar2006]

This is a beautiful and very rare saxon marked bayonet, with an infantry regiment, issued the first days of mobilization for the german ww1 army. Very rare manufacturer and very well preserved. Excellent Steeve!!! 

[Steve1871]

Bayonet #106.        
1/31/24

S98 quill - Child’s version

 

First off, I never had any desire to collect child’s bayonets or guns. With as large a collection of S98 quill and Saw backed in my collection, I talked myself into buying this piece. Do not plan on buying any more child bayonets, but the condition, with the scabbard for its age, it felt right to add to my collection.

Many of us have seen period photos of children, usually in child uniforms, German, American, I would think British too. I will have to search for it, but have seen one photo of two German kids in their uniforms, the one on right had a toy rifle with a toy bayonet on end.  You can see with the Simple’s steel flat blade, no edge of coarse and rounder tip, and overall design to represent the S98. I never studied child bayonets before but looking at the “ mortise slot”, no catch or lock. Instead of a plain slot, you can see the simple tang, and two more pieces that flare out then flare back in kind of a Diamond shape. I tried to push different size screwdrivers till found right size and these two double bent pieces actually wedge ( held) the screwdriver. To me, since there is no other reason to make a child’s bayonet any more complex than needs to, I believe this piece was part of a child’s rifle/ bayonet set or an extra accessory to buy for toy gun, no parent would want their 5-10 year old running with a bayonet stuck on end of toy rifle

The scabbard is made with very light wood with early Bakelite or something similar, in a sheet, thicker than paper and wrapped around. The seam in back was made that way for some reason. The set is so light, and think scabbard is actually rare to survive around a century

Tge S98mS is latest bayonet, good and bad,    
Good is it is sawback and think might be Saxon, also my fourth FAG. Flanged steel scabbard.     
Bad part, lot rust, release button rusted closed, seized up and was sharpened too much. Plan on trying clean up some before I show that one.    
Anyway, hope you guys like the toy🙏🥴🤔 

Few mor pics

Edited 1 February by Steve1871

[AndyBsk]

Very nice piece, with the slot area i assume there was a child rifle probably anywhere.

[bert.f]

book K. Lubbe,

child's toy bayonet

Edited 1 February by bert.f

[Steve1871]

Thanks Andy and Bert.F

Bert, Never thought to look in that book, Do not have with me in the truck, just surprised to see in a book so fast 

[zuluwar2006]

Dear Steve, Andy and Bert,

i did not knew this, very interesting that making bayonet toys was something usual during ww1. 

In this way, they gave children and fathers a way to fight for the homeland.

For me, the problem arises when the father does not return from the front.

Regards, D. 

[Rafal1971]

There are hundreds of types of propaganda cards.
Children's bayonets (German) - several basic types and variations for small workshops.
There are also "miniature bayonets for opening letters"
Plus sabres, rifles, uniforms and equipment....

 

Photo from internet

[Steve1871]

Thank you again Rafal !

those are great, really love the last one, uniform/rifle/bayonet and belt with ammo pouches, never seen that before. Great job!!!

[trajan]

That's a really nice find Steve! Never seen one before! Now you need a Gw 98 for it...

Julian

[Steve1871]

Aww Darn Julian, I should have known there would be a catch🤔

[trajan]

22 hours ago, Steve1871 said:

Aww Darn Julian, I should have known there would be a catch🤔

 Knowing you - you will find one! But that really is a cute little bayonet (coming from a person who NEVER uss the word 'cute' is some measure of my approval!)

[Steve1871]

Thanks Julian!