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 grip plates and black painted scabbard. The choice of blade length was left to the purchaser, being nickel-plated short or long 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 troddle, and the color 

This Artillery example is in excellent condition, and has a very nice custom etched blade. It has has a nice alloy hilt, with most of the Nickel Plating intact, though there is some flaking and oxidation present around the "beak" of the bird's head, as shown.The mortise button and blade release are fully functional, complete with the red felt insert. The grip plates are high end custom stag horn, and both are in great condition. They are retained by nickel-plated steel rivets which have dressed heads on the obverse, with some oxidation.

The blade on this example is nickel-plated, as were all dress bayonets. It does have slight wear to the plating, with some runner wear and light scratching. It has not been sharpened, and still retains its blunt factory edge.

The panel itself has lovely Oak Leaf and Acorn designs, with a German NSDAP Reichsadler (State Eagle) to the left, and an image of the legendary 88 mm anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery cannon on the right. In the middle is a statement in very attractive German black letter type face:

This translates to "For remembrance of my service", a common phrase to see on personalized items. The original leather blade buffer is in place, and is in very nice condition. 

The reverse ricasso is maker marked E. & F. HÖRSTER / SOLINGEN in an oval "lozenge" around the company's trademark downward pointing sword piercing interlocking HHS initials. E. & F. Hörster & Co Gmbh, is a well-known maker from Solingen, the famous "City of Blades" in Western Germany, which marketed many fine edged weapons. The firm lasted long after WWII, finally being declared insolvent in 1996.

The scabbard is straight throughout and still has over 90% of the original black paint. This really is a great scabbard, with very little age related degradation. There are a few areas of crazing and checking, but aside from that the scabbard is almost like new. The body is held by the included black leather frog, which is in good used condition, though the finish has some cracking and flaking. The leather is soft, and the stitching intact.

Wrapped about the frog is a very nice Non-Commissioned Officer's Troddel knot. This troddel is of green fabric strapping with triple stitches of silver, on either edge. There is a slide and the stem is covered in silver bullion. The oval ball is also silvered and in great shape, with a green insert into the bottom.

An great example of an Etched German 98k Artillery dress bayonet by a well-known maker, complete with frog and troddle knot, ready to display!