Original German WWII Etched Short 98k Dress Bayonet by E. & F. Hörster with Frog and NCO Troddle Knot 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 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. Often they would also have a sword knot, or troddle, and the color 

This Reconnaissance Unit Marked example is in very good condition, and has a very nice custom etched blade. It has has a nice alloy hilt, with most of the Nickel Plating intact, though there is some flaking on the upper rear left portion, as shown. The mortise button and blade release are fully functional, complete with the red felt insert. The grip plates are both lovely checkered black bakelite, and both are in great condition. They are retained by nickel-plated steel rivets which have dressed heads on the obverse, with minimal oxidation.

The blade on this example is nickel-plated, as were all dress bayonets. It does have slight wear to the plating, with some runner wear and light scratching. It has not been sharpened, and still retains its blunt factory edge.

The panel itself has lovely Oak Leaf and Acorn designs, with banners that bear a very attractive German black letter type face inscription:

Erinnerung an meine
Dienstzeit bei der Aufklärung- Abtlg.5
Kornwestheim

This translates to “Reminder of my service in the reconnaissance Division 5, Kornwestheim.” This is a common phrase to see on personalized items, which is then added to the specifics of the owners station. The original leather blade buffer is in place, and is in very nice condition. 

The reverse ricasso is maker marked E. u. F. HÖRSTER / SOLINGEN in an oval “lozenge” around the company’s trademark downward pointing sword piercing interlocking HHS initials. E. & F. Hörster & Co Gmbh, is a well-known maker from Solingen, the famous “City of Blades” in Western Germany, which marketed many fine edged weapons. The firm lasted long after WWII, finally being declared insolvent in 1996. For more information please see GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS by J. Anthony Carter.

The scabbard is straight throughout and still has over 85% of the original black paint. This really is a great scabbard, with very little age related degradation. Most of the issues seem to come from wear. The scabbard frog button is a bit loose. The body is held by the included black leather frog, which is in good used condition, though the finish has some cracking and flaking. The leather is soft, and the stitching intact.

Wrapped about the frog is a very nice Non-Commissioned Officer’s Troddel knot. This troddel is of green fabric strapping with triple stitches of silver, on either edge. The oval ball is also silvered and in great shape, with a green insert into the bottom. It is in good condition, but there is some fraying, and the slider is missing.

An great example of an Etched German 98k Recon. Unit dress bayonet by a well-known maker, complete with frog and troddle knot, ready to display!