Original Item: One-of-a-Kind. This is a very rare Imperial German WWI Ersatz bayonet identified as the Carter Type EB 55, complete with its scabbard, leather frog, and Troddel knot. Very little definitive information appears to survive regarding this unusual pattern, although period photographs and veteran accounts support its wartime existence. Examples are known in varying blade lengths, and the type has sometimes been described by collectors as an experimental cavalry bayonet.

This example came directly from the personal collection of David F. Machnicki, author of the At Arm's Length series on trench clubs and knives, adding significant collector interest to an already scarce bayonet.

Unlike many Ersatz bayonets fitted with solid cast iron, brass, or sheet metal grips, this example uses fluted wooden grip inserts set into a cast iron hilt. The wood gives the bayonet a more refined appearance than many emergency production patterns. It may also have helped reduce overall weight compared with fully cast metal grips, although the precise reason for this construction remains uncertain.

The original fluted wooden grip panels remain intact and display very well. The blade measures approximately 12 1/4 inches and shows honest service wear, including scattered peppered oxidation. A fuller runs along both sides of the blade near the spine. Overall length is approximately 17 inches.

The bayonet is housed in its correct scabbard, which still retains traces of original Feldgrau paint. Most of the finish has worn away with age and use, leaving an attractive period surface.

The scabbard is carried in an original leather frog stamped on the reverse:

BJ
Co. 1 J

Attached at the frog throat is an original Troddel knot retaining its Prussian colors. The knot remains in very good condition with strong color and relatively little serious fraying.

The EB 55 designation comes from the classification system established by J. Anthony Carter. Carter, who died in 2001, produced the highly regarded four-volume reference series on German bayonets, with the third volume devoted specifically to Ersatz patterns. His work remains one of the principal references used by advanced collectors to classify the many unusual emergency and substitute bayonet types produced during WWI.

This example is especially desirable because it remains unusually complete. The combination of the scarce EB 55 bayonet, correct scabbard, marked leather frog, original Prussian Troddel, and provenance from the personal collection of noted author David F. Machnicki makes this an exceptional example of a difficult-to-find Imperial German WWI Ersatz bayonet.

Dimensions:

Blade length: 12 1/4 inches
Overall length: 17 inches
Scabbard length: 13 inches