Original German WWII Long 98k Dress Bayonet by ALCOSO with Period Applied Shooting Association Emblem & Scabbard in Frog Original Items

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 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 troddle, and the color would indicate the branch or rank.

This relatively standard example is in very good condition, and has a nickel plated blade, as all dress bayonets do. It has a nice alloy hilt, with most of the Nickel Plating intact, showing minor finish flaking overall, exposing the base metal. The mortise button and blade release are fully functional, though the felt insert is missing. The grip plates are both checkered black bakelite, and are in great shape. They are retained by plated steel rivets dressed on the reverse, which show light oxidation.

The right grip scale has been period fitted with a DEUTSCHES SCHÜTZEN-VERBAND (German Shooting Association) stickpin emblem, which features a closed wing Reichsadler eagle with a target in the center. We do not know if this was a bayonet given as an award, or whether the owner simply wished to show that they were member of the organization.

The blade on this example is nickel-plated, as were all dress bayonets, and it shows only light wear. It does look to have been cleaned / polished using a buffing wheel at some point, which did wear through the plating in one small area near the edge. It has not been sharpened, and still retains its blunt factory edge. The original brown leather blade buffer is in place, and is in good condition.

The trademark on the blade ricasso is one of the trademarks that Alcoso used from 1936-1940, per J. Anthony Carter’s work GERMAN SWORD AND KNIFE MAKERS. It depicts the scales with the firm’s initials, ACS interspersed. Above is the firm’s name in an arc, ALCOSO, and below the town of business, SOLINGEN, the legendary “City of Blades” in Western Germany.

Alexander Coppel & Co. KG, Stahlwarenfabrik (Steelware Factory), 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 scabbard is straight throughout and has black enamel paint. It looks to have been period repainted, and that paint has also now worn and degraded a bit, so this bayonet looks to have been carried extensively. There is also the usual crazing and checking from age, as well as some bubbling and lifting. It is held in a very nice black leather frog, though it is technically for a 98/05 “Butcher” bayonet scabbard, and is definitely too larger for the bayonet.

An great example of an German Long 98k dress bayonet with a period applied Shooting Association Emblem on the grips, complete with scabbard & frog. Ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 9 3/4″
Blade Style: Single Edge w/ Fuller
Overall length: 14 1/2“
Crossguard: 2 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 10 7/8″

Original Item: Only One Available. The Postschutz (Postal Protection) organization was established in March 1933 as a uniformed organization tasked with the security and protection of the national postal and telecommunications systems. These installations included the telephone and telegraph facilities since they were, initially, under the supervision of the Postmaster-General, Dr. Ohnesorge (NSKK Obergruppenfuhrer). Personnel were mainly recruited from the Polizei, the SA, and the SS. By 1942 the Postschutz had a total of 4,500 men in service and was made up of older men or men who were not fit enough for front line service. In March 1942, the organization became subordinate to the Allgemeine SS.