BACKGROUND: During the Third Reich period numerous blade manufacturers produced customized, private purchase versions of the S84/98 and KS98 bayonets for dress wear. The dress bayonets were manufactured with an assortment of minor optional variations with a long model, (9 7/8"), blade for enlisted personnel and a shorter, (7 7/8"), blade for NCO’s and Officers. Due to the dress bayonets similarity to the issue bayonets they experienced slow sales and the F. W. Höller firm of Solingen attempted to increase demand by marketing the dress bayonets as the "Pionier", (Engineer), models, although they were available to personnel in all branches of service. It is not known if the marketing strategy was successful in increasing sales but it did result in the dress bayonets commonly being referred to as "Pioniere Extrawaffe". A popular option offered by the blade manufacturers was an acid etched motif on the blade for a nominal extra cost. Most of the etched designs were of a standard pattern that were applied by the use of a template and were copyrighted by the manufacturing firm. Additionally more personalized etched designs were also available at an extra cost. As with the K98 bayonets the dress bayonets were accompanied by a bayonet frog to be worn on the reverse left side of the weight bearing waist belt.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 7 1/2" long, nickel/silver plated, drop forged, steel construction blade with deep, narrow fullers to each side and a top edge swedge to the forward tip. The blade is in overall very good condition with light scabbard runner marks and minimal surface scratching. Both sides of the blade have crude hand etched script with, "Gefreiter Sommer, 4./M.G.13", to the obverse and, "Saarlautern", to the reverse. The obverse ricasso is well marked with the stamped manufacturers logo, name and location consisting of a dual lined, vertically oval cartouche with the manufacturers name and location, "F. W. Höller Solingen", encompassing a vertical thermometer. The bayonet has a nickel/silver plated alloy, opened muzzle ring, crossguard with one up-swept arm, a flash guard and a stylized eagle head pommel. The hilt fittings all retain about 95% of their original plating with some minor surface scratching and a small spot of chafe wear. The bayonet has diamond grooved, molded black bakelite grips which are secured to the hilt by two, small, dome headed alloy rivets. The "TO" slotted, stylized eagle head pommel and stud button are all intact and functional. The bayonet comes complete with its original black painted, sheet metal scabbard that retains about 60% of its original black finish with spots of wear to the base metal with light surface spotting. The dome headed throat retaining screw and frog lug are both intact.

GRADE ***3/4                             PRICE $176.00