{"product_id":"original-german-wwii-heer-single-etched-long-98k-dress-bayonet-with-scabbard-and-leather-frog","title":"Original German WWII Heer Single Etched Long 98k Dress Bayonet with Scabbard and Leather Frog","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEnlisted or NCO personnel were permitted to purchase K-98 dress bayonets with fancy etched blades. These etchings run the gamut from simple designs featuring the standard remembrance, \u003cem\u003eZur Erinnerung an meine Dienstzeit\u003c\/em\u003e (In Memory of My Service Time), to very fancy, custom etched depictions, citing the individual's regiment, unit, and sometimes even his name. Many blade factories offered unique etch patterns. The etch work was often state of the art.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis lovely Heer (army) example is in very good condition, and has a nickel plated blade, as all dress bayonets do. It has has a nice bird's head alloy hilt, with almost all of the Nickel Plating intact. There are just a few nicks \/ chips on the sharp edges, and no real bubbling or major oxidation. The mortise button and blade release are present and fully functional, though the felt insert is missing. The grip plates are lovely checkered black bakelite, and are in excellent condition. They are retained by solid nickel dome-headed rivets dressed on the reverse, which now show light oxidation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe blade on this example is nickel-plated, as were all dress bayonets, the plating is very well retained, showing just a bit of oxidation next to the leather blade buffer, which is also in very good shape. There is runner wear on the tip area from wear due to the scabbard runner, which has worn through to the base metal just a bit on both sides. It has correctly not been sharpened, and still retains its blunt factory edge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe etched panel itself has some lovely designs, surrounded by \"Wotan's Knot\" motifs, with a \u003cem\u003eWehrmachtadler\u003c\/em\u003e Eagle to the right, with a \u003cem\u003eStahlhelm\u003c\/em\u003e steel helmet to the left. The center of the panel is a lovely German black letter type face inscription:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eZur Erinnerung\u003cbr\u003ean meine Dienstzeit\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/center\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis translates to \u003cem\u003e\"As a reminder of my service\"\u003c\/em\u003e, which is a very common inscription for these dress bayonets. There is no maker mark on the blade, which is not uncommon, as unmarked blade blanks were often purchased in bulk by retailers, who would have them etched, plated, and fitted to order.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scabbard is straight throughout, without any major dents or other issues. The original black enamel finish is very well retained on both sides, and shows know signs of having been refinished. There is a lovely pattern of checking and crazing on both sides, with a bit of oxidation on the reverse, but no major flaking of the finish. The scabbard is held in a very nice brown leather dress belt frog, which still has the finish very well retained. The stitching is mostly intact, with just a bit of pulling on one side next to the forward rivet, which has had the head pop off.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn very nice example of an German etched Long 98k dress bayonet, complete with scabbard and frog, ready to display!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBlade Length: 9 3\/4\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBlade Style: Single Edge w\/ Fuller\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOverall length: 14 5\/8“\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCrossguard: 2 1\/4”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eScabbard Length: 10 1\/2\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42197778890821,"sku":"ONSV24MDS120","price":695.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONSV24MDS120__01.jpg?v=1733523030","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-german-wwii-heer-single-etched-long-98k-dress-bayonet-with-scabbard-and-leather-frog","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}