Original German WWII Double Etched Heer 41st Infantry Regt. Long 98k Dress Bayonet by Carl Eickhorn with Scabbard 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 troddel, and the color would indicate the branch or rank.

This very interesting Heer (army) example is in excellent condition, and has a nickel plated blade, as all dress bayonets do. It has a nice alloy hilt, with the Nickel Plating mostly intact, showing light overall specking and a bit of plating lifting. The mortise button and blade release are fully functional, and the original red felt insert is missing and in good condition. The grip plates are lovely checkered black bakelite, and are in excellent condition. They are retained by plated steel rivets dressed on the reverse, which now show light oxidation.

The blade on this example is nickel-plated, as were all dress bayonets, and there is only some light oxidation, as well as wear from the runners in the scabbard. It has not been sharpened, and still retains its blunt factory edge, with a tiny bend at the very tip. The original leather blade buffer is in place, and is in excellent condition.

The right ricasso of the blade is marked PETER KOLB / AMBERG, for a known outfitted in Bavaria during the war and prior. The bayonet was either ordered with the etched blade from the manufacturer, or more likely, it was received blank and then custom etched and plated by Kolb.

The etched panel on the right side has some lovely designs, with a Wehrmachtadler Eagle to the bottom near the guard, with a Stahlhelm steel helmet on top of crossed rifles with an oak leaf wreath underneath. The centerpiece of the right panel is a nice double line banner design, with oak leaf clusters in the background. In the banner of the panel is a lovely German black letter type face inscription:

Zur Erinnerung
an meine Dienstzeit

This translates to “As a reminder of my service”, which is a very common inscription for these dress bayonets. The left side however has a much more specific dedication, something we very rarely see on these dress bayonets! The simple bordered panel bears a lovely German black letter type face inscription:

Infanterie Regiment No 41
Amberg, Bayr. Ostmark

We have done some preliminary research, and the 41st Infantry Regiment of the Wehrmacht was formed out of the Reichswehr Amberg Infantry Regiment, and kept some of that lineage. During WWII the 41st Regiment was part of the 10th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) in 1939, though we do not know if it was still present when the division was reconstituted after it was destroyed in August 1944 as part of the Jassy–Kishinev Offensive. Definitely some nice research potential here!

The rear ricasso of the blade is stamped with the 1935-41 Eickhorn trademark: a seated squirrel holding a sword, with the word ORIGINAL above and the firm’s name and location, Eickhorn / SOLINGEN below. Carl Eickhorn is a legendary maker from Solingen, the famous “City of Blades” in Western Germany. According to J. Anthony Carter’s book, GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS, this company was founded in 1865 by Carl Eickhorn, and is arguably the most famous of all Solingen makers. Not only could the family trace their history back 500 years, but they could also demonstrate involvement in the hardening and grinding industries for the same period. Truly the nobility of Solingen Edged weapon dynasties. Eickhorn edged weapons are the most desirable of all makers.

The scabbard is straight throughout though it does have a dent on the front about 2 inches from the bottom, which does not interfere with sheathing the blade. The black enamel finish on the scabbard is worn and chipped on the front, so it does look to have been worn out regularly for a time. The rear of the scabbard retains much more of the finish, and the upper part of the scabbard was definitely in a frog for a long time, however it is now missing.

An great regimentally marked example of an etched German long 98k dress bayonet by the most desirable of all Solingen makers, complete with scabbard. Ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 9 3/4″
Blade Style: Single Edge w/ Fuller
Overall length: 14 1/2“
Crossguard: 2 1/8”
Scabbard Length: 11″