Original German WWII K98 Bayonet Taken from First German Soldier Killed in Nice, France by FFI with Letter of Provenance - Matching
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Original Item: Only One Available. In 1935 the German military introduced the K98k bolt action rifle or Karabiner 98 Kurz, as a replacement for the older GEW98 or Gewehr 98. A new, shorter bayonet was designed to go along with the shortened rifle. The K98 bayonet was officially named Seitengewehr 84/98 III or SG 84/98 III. The bayonet was designed as a close combat sidearm that could be placed on the tip of a K98.
The total length of the K98 bayonet was 15.2 inches, far shorter than the 20 inch long GEW98 bayonet. The blade was also straighter in shape and the hand guard was omitted. The K98 bayonet was carried in a leather frog, or Seitengewehrtragetasche, on the left side on the equipment belt in combination with the shovel and its carrier. The maker marks on k98 bayonets where stamped onto the top of the blade. On the reverse the batch number and suffix were stamped.
This is a very interesting matching K98 bayonet which comes with a typed letter of provenance dated 1944 in the top left corner with pencil. The letter reads:
THIS SHORT BAYONET WAS PROCURED AT NICE, FRANCE.
IT WAS TAKEN FROM THE BODY OF THE FIRST GERMAN SOLDIER KILLED IN THAT CITY BY THE F.F.I. AFTER THE LANDING OF THE AMERICAN TROOPS. THIS SOLDIER WAS KILLED BY BEING DRAGGED BEHIND A MOTORCYCLE FOR ABOUT TWO MILES THROUGH THE STREETS. A PRESENT FROM THE F.F.I.
F.E.B.
F.F.I. denotes the French Forces of the Interior (FFI; French: Forces françaises de l'Intérieur). This is a very macabre story about how the bayonet was procured. The letter is heavily worn with tearing and staining, but proper framing would make for an outstanding display.
Model bayonet: Seitengewehr 84/98 III
Markings: 6638 / d, E.u.F.Hörster, and 39
Material: Blued steel
Grip material: Dark Brown Bakelite
Condition is very good with original bluing on blade at roughly 85% with most wear near the tip, bakelite grips intact and a working locking button. The blade has the factory "sharpening", which did not really make the blade sharp: that was up to the soldier. There is some runner wear to the finish, and also a few spots of finish loss and water stains from contact with the runner, which is wavy spring steel. The pommel retains some of the finish, however there is definitely water staining and oxidation on both sides, possibly from contact with a leather frog over a long period of time. The scabbard finish is still in good condition, showing wear and peppering but no denting.
The front of the scabbard and blade bear matching serial number 6638 / d. This is an early/pre WWII bayonet, so it pre-dates the three letter code system used later. The blade reverse ricasso and rear of the scabbard are marked with E.u.F.Hörster, indicating manufacture by the well-known maker E. & F. Hörster of Solingen, the legendary "City of Blades" in Eastern Germany. The rear of the scabbard has the date 1939 under the maker mark, while the spine of the blade is marked 39, indicating 1939 manufacture. There are also some early "Stick Eagle" pattern Waffenamt WaA253 markings on the pommel, correct for the 1937-40 period for many Solingen-based makers.
The frog is stamped on the rear:
G. Schaub
Rotenburg a./F.
1936
An original early war German WWII Matching 98k Bayonet and scabbard by a desirable maker in very good condition with a great letter of provenance. Ready to display or fit to your 98K rifle!
Specifications:
Blade Length: 10"
Blade Style: Single Edge w/ Fuller
Overall length: 15 1/4“
Crossguard: 1 1/2”
Scabbard Length: 10 1/2"
- This product is available for international shipping. Shipping not available to: Australia, France, or Germany
- Not eligible for payment with Paypal or Amazon
- Due to legal restrictions this item cannot be shipped to Australia, France or Germany. This is not a comprehensive list and other countries may be added in the future.
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