Original German WWII 98k Rifle Short Dress Bayonet by ALCOSO with Frog and Heer Army Belt 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 black checkered bakelite grip plates and black painted scabbard. The choice of blade length was left to the purchaser, being nickel-plated short or long 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.

This Heer (Army) example is in very good condition, just a bit short of “excellent”. It has has a nice alloy hilt, with most of the Nickel Plating intact, though there is some flaking and oxidation present, as shown. The mortise button and blade release are fully functional. The grip plates are the black checkered type, and both are in great condition. They are retained by nickel-plated steel rivets which have dressed heads on the obverse, with some oxidation.

The blade is a fine nickel-plated example, and is in very good condition, and still has the original leather blade buffer/washer. The blade is straight, with runner wear on the tip and sides, as usually seen. There are a few spots of oxidation to the nickel, particularly near the ricasso, however they are quite small.

The blade ricasso is maker marked ALCOSO / SOLINGEN in arcs surrounding the firms trademark scales logo, with the firm’s initials ACS interspersed. This type of trademark was one of several 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 SWORD AND KNIFE 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 scabbard is straight throughout and still has over 80% of the original black paint. There is the expected crazing and checking from age, with a bit of flaking and light oxidation in areas, as shown in the pictures. It has a great “out of the attic” look, and is held by the included leather frog. The frog itself is in good used condition, though most of the finish is faded. It also has a lot of the stitching pulled, which could be repaired. 

The frog is attached to a very nice  WWII German Wehrmacht Heer (Army) EM/NCO’s Belt with Steel Buckle (Koppelschloß). The buckle is embossed with the Heer motto GOTT MIT UNS (“God with us”) surrounding a NSDAP Party Eagle. Nice fieldgrey painted steel construction box buckle with a smooth background. The buckle is in good, with wear to the paint, as well as some oxidation. The buckle is unfortunately missing the leather tab, which would identify the maker, which is not stamped into the buckle body. However it is definitely genuine German WWII issue.

The black leather belt measures 41” when fully extended, and is in good condition, with the expected wear from use in service. It is dated 1943 and marked with RB Nr. 0 / 0556 / 0087, indicating manufactuer by a company in Köln, Germany. It also is marked with size 100. A good amount of the original finish is still present on the leather, however it is flaking in areas. 

An excellent example of a German 98k Heer dress bayonet, complete with belt and frog, ready to display!