Original Item: Only One Available. The K-98 dress bayonet was a dress version of the combat style, and was worn by enlisted and NCO personnel for dress and parade occasions. The bayonets were finished with a high-quality nickel plating, with stag or bakelite grip plates and black painted scabbard. The choice of blade length was left to the purchaser, either the nickel-plated short (20cm) or long (25cm) version. There was usually a red or green colored felt insert in the rifle slot and the bayonet was suspended from a black or brown leather frog. Some had a functional bayonet latch, while it was ornamental on some. Often they would also have a sword knot, or troddel, and the color would indicate the branch or rank.

This very interesting Heer (army) example is in very good condition, and has a nickel plated blade, as all dress bayonets do. It has a nice alloy hilt, with the Nickel Plating mostly intact, showing light overall specking and a bit of plating lifting. The mortise button and blade release are fully functional, though there are some dents on the edges of the channel, and the original red felt insert is missing. The grip plates are lovely checkered black bakelite, and are in excellent condition. They are retained by plated steel rivets dressed on the reverse, which now have lost their plating and oxidized.

The blade on this example is nickel-plated, as were all dress bayonets, and there is only some light oxidation, as well as wear from the runners in the scabbard. It has not been sharpened, and still retains its blunt factory edge, with a few small dents on the edge. The original leather blade buffer is in place, and is in excellent condition.

The right ricasso of the blade is stamped with J. HOMMEL / ASCHAFFENBURG, for a known outfitter in Western Bavaria during the war and prior. They still exist today as a supplier of kitchen products. The bayonet was either ordered with the etched blade from the manufacturer, or more likely, it was received blank and then custom etched and plated by Hommel.

The etched panel on the right side has some lovely designs inside a border, with a Wehrmachtadler Eagles on both ends of the panel. The centerpiece of the right panel is a nice double line banner design, with oak leaf clusters in the background. In the banner of the panel is a lovely German black letter type face inscription:

This translates to "As a reminder of my service", which is a very common inscription for these dress bayonets. The left side however has a much more specific dedication, something we very rarely see on these dress bayonets! The simple bordered panel bears a lovely German black letter type face inscription:

We have done some preliminary research, and the 15th Pioneer Battalion was part of the 15th Infantry Division (15. Infanterie-Division), which was formed on 1 October 1934 in Würzburg under the cover name Artillerieführer V. With the announcement of German rearmament, the division was renamed on 15 October 1935. Mobilized on 25 August 1939, the division took part in the Invasion of Poland in the same year and the Battle of France in 1940. The division then moved to the Eastern Front, and was one of the units taking part in the Second Battle of Kharkov from February till March 1943. It would later be destroyed in August 1944 during the Soviet Second Jassy–Kishinev Offensive. Definitely some nice research potential here!

The rear ricasso of the blade is stamped with the 1935-41 Eickhorn trademark: a seated squirrel holding a sword, with the word ORIGINAL above and the firm's name and location, Eickhorn / SOLINGEN below. Carl Eickhorn is a legendary maker from Solingen, the famous "City of Blades" in Western Germany. According to J. Anthony Carter's book, GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS, this company was founded in 1865 by Carl Eickhorn, and is arguably the most famous of all Solingen makers. Not only could the family trace their history back 500 years, but they could also demonstrate involvement in the hardening and grinding industries for the same period. Truly the nobility of Solingen Edged weapon dynasties. Eickhorn edged weapons are the most desirable of all makers.

The scabbard is in great shape, straight throughout with no dents that we can feel or see. The original black enamel finish is very well retained at over 90%, with some scratching and chipping from use. There is some lovely age related crazing and checking in the finish, only possible after decades. The scabbard is held in a very nice black patent leather frog, which has had the original finish "melt" a bit over time, as they often do. It is definitely a dress frog, as it does not have the usual rivet reinforcements field frogs do. The stitching is all intact, and there is felt on the back to keep it from marring dress uniforms.

An great regimentally marked example of an etched German long 98k dress bayonet by the most desirable of all Solingen makers, complete with scabbard and frog. Ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 9 3/4"
Blade Style: Single Edge w/ Fuller
Overall length: 14 1/2“
Crossguard: 2 1/8”
Scabbard Length: 11"