H78254 EM'S DRESS BAYONET. (Extra-Seitengewehr 98K) 

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 Officer’s. 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". 

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 9 5/8" long, nickel/silver plated, drop forged, steel construction blade with wide fullers to each side. The blade is still quite clean and bright with minor scabbard runner marks and a small spot of the plating has started to lift by the tip. The obverse ricasso is well marked with impressed manufactures logo and initials. The logo consists of the profile of a medieval style helmet with the initials, "WKC", indicating manufacture by Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co. Waffenfabrik of Solingen-Wald. Of Note: Interestingly most manufacturers marked their dress bayonet blades on the reverse ricasso although WKC consistently marked their dress bayonet blades on the obverse ricasso. The chocolate brown leather washer is still intact. 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 90% of their original plating with numerous small lifting bubbles. The bayonet has diamond grooved, molded black bakelite grips which are secured to the hilt by two small, dome headed steel 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 75% of its original black finish with numerous small surface scratches and scrapes. The dome headed throat retaining screw and frog lug are both intact.

To Order this item, please use one of the two e-mail addresses below to contact us. Please make sure to quote the item number in your e-mail

-E-Mail Address pawmac@nbnet.nb.ca  Or  guild@nb.aibn.com

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