BACKGROUND: The K98 bayonet was a modification of the already modified S84/98 bayonet that had been originally developed in 1915. Manufacture of this new modified bayonet began in 1934 with mass production beginning in 1936. The K98 bayonet was a standard issue item and was accompanied by a bayonet frog to be worn on the reverse left side of the weight bearing waist belt. The K98 bayonet remained the standard issue bayonet through-out the war with minor manufacturing variations. As the war continued the quality of the bayonets deteriorated and in mid-1944 most manufacturers discontinued producing the bayonet to concentrate on producing other essential war materials. Originally the German army utilized two patterns of bayonet frogs with one pattern for unmounted personnel and another pattern with the addition of a horizontal retaining strap for mounted personnel. Regulations of January 25^TH 1939 dictated that the bayonet frog without the retaining strap was to be discontinued and replaced by the bayonet frog with the horizontal retaining strap for all personnel although the changeover was never completely achieved.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Smooth blackened leather construction bayonet frog with a horizontal retaining strap. The frog consists of a roughly, 9" tall, 2 1/4" wide at its widest point and 1 1/4" wide at its narrowest point, dual layered, vertical hour glass shaped leather panels with an opened belt loop to the top edge and a stitched on bayonet pocket to the bottom edge of the obverse. The base of the frog has a row of stitching near each outside edge with aluminum reinforcement rivets positioned on either side at the bottom edge of the belt loop and an additional aluminum rivet to each side of the top edge of the bayonet pocket. The frog also an additional row of stitching running vertically down the center of both the obverse and reverse panels. The bayonet pocket is stitched down sides with a central vertically oval front lug hole. The narrowest section of the frog has a horizontal retaining strap with a natural aluminum closure stud and corresponding eyelet inserted between the obverse and reverse panels. The reverse of the frog is well marked with the faint, illegible, impressed manufacture’s mark within an oval cartouche. The frog is in overall good condition with spots of light to moderate chafe wear and a small puncture hole to the reverse, top belt loop section.

GRADE ***                             PRICE $72.00