Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. This is an excellent matching Unit Marked Metropolitan Police Long Dress "Walking Out" Bayonet by Alexander Coppel of Solingen. It comes complete with its original black leather scabbard and frog, as well as a German Police "troddel" knot. It features a beautiful Stag Handle, with an inlaid aluminum Civic Police emblem. The pommel is a solid decorated "Birds Head" without a bayonet slot, and there is a unit marking on the reverse guard of the bayonet:
S. H. 705.
This would probably indicate issue to the Schutzpolizei (Protection Police) of the Hamburg, Officer 705. The same unit marking is stamped onto the back of the scabbard.
The bayonet has a lovely approximately 33 cm (12.75 inches) long nickel plated steel blade, which was forged "cut-down" style, with the fuller running to the tip. Blade is nice and bright, of excellent quality, and still has over 95% of the original nickel plating, with a bit of flaking near the edges, as shown.
The blade ricasso is maker marked ALEXANDER COPPEL / SOLINGEN in arcs surrounding the firms trademark scales logo, with the firm's initials ACS interspersed. The same trademark scale logo, only larger, is present on the other side of the blade. This type of trademark was used on Police and other dress bayonets during the Weimar republic and up into the beginning of the NSDAP era, up until around 1940, per J. Anthony Carter's work GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS.
Alexander Coppel & Co. KG, Stahlwarenfabrik, located in Solingen, the legendary German "City of Blades." The company was a major manufacturer of edged weapons and tools from the end of the 19th century up until the WWII period. Unfortunately, as NSDAP-control increased, brothers Carl Gustav and Dr. Alexander Coppel, the Jewish owners of the firm, were forced out. In 1936 the firm had been "Aryanized", and started using the name ALCOSO to hide the Jewish family name. By the end of 1936 the brothers were ejected from their Solingen offices, and by 1940 the brand trademark initials ACS were changed to AWS to reflect the change in ownership and name: Alexander Coppel Solingen to Alcoso-Werk Solingen. Carl Gustav Coppel committed suicide in Solingen in 1941, and Dr. Alexander Coppel was arrested in 1942 and sent to Theresienstadt Prison camp, where he died August 5th 1942.
The leather washer is unfortunately not present. The bayonet grip scales are made of stag-horn with an aluminum police insignia firmly inset on one side. These are held between the upswept cross guard decorated with oak leaves, and the stylized eagle’s head pommel. Both cross guard and eagle’s head are well detailed and in very good condition, with almost all of the original nickel plating present.
The scabbard is made of fine black leather, fitted with nickel plated brass, and is in very good condition. The leather does show age and finish loss, and there are some stitch repairs on the back, but it still looks great. It is held in the correct black leather frog with aluminum & steel rivets, which is in good condition. There is wear and finish loss, as well as some tearing around the throat of the bayonet. Wrapped around the frog is a police troddel knot with a fabric strap that is still in excellent condition. It has rows of red and silver bullion, and the green and silver end ball has a green insert. This is the typical color we see on metropolitan police bayonets.
This is a wonderful early war metropolitan police bayonet with scabbard! Ready to display!
Specifications:
Blade Length: 13"
Blade Style: Single Edged with Fuller
Overall length: 17 1/2”
Crossguard: 2 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 14 1/2”
- This product is available for international shipping. Shipping not available to: Australia, France, or Germany
- 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.
- Not eligible for payment with Paypal or Amazon