Original German WW2 Polizei Parade bayonet, Horster Solingen HELP>..

[koisokok]

Again, trying to add to the new collection bug. Any help would be great! thanks again.,.

[Watchdog]

Not a parade item as such because the Polizei did wear these in duty order and they were more a symbol of authority or badge of office you might call it one of the "duty appointments". They were not meant to be fitted to a rifle. The early ones were conversions of older bayonets (cut down etc) whilst later later pieces were made without a bayonet slot or release catch. Those with slots had a felt filler, red for the municiple police (black scabbard leather) and green for the rural police (brown scabbard leather). A good sign with these is small indentations on the back of the pommel generally known as "tap-tap" marks caused when plod used it to tap in nails when putting up posters etc! I think yours looks ok but we need to see bigger, clearer pics of both sides please.

Regards

Mark

[real steel]

Nice to see the "clamshell" attached. Can you provide the other side of it ?

[koisokok]

Trying to get a hold of the seller for better pictures ..

[Watchdog]

Definately need good sharp pics of this one and an indication of scale too.

In the first pics it was shown from the back so we could see the clamshell but not the police emblem on the grip. This blade is clearly not cut down and no rifle attachment so this bayonet is pupose made not converted from an earlier Weimar type. The clamshell is from the Weimar period and in the case of a conversion would be removed when the Weimar grip emblem was replaced with the Third Reich one and the blade shortened (or occasionally not shortened as it goes). If it was made in the TR period it should not have had a clamshell in the first place.
I have seen examples of conversions in which the clamshell was retained but that would be unofficial ie bending the rules as it were. I am not saying outright that this piece is wrong and I am not expert in these but it seems to me that really good pictures including close up images of the identifying features are even more important. Also, the asking price may well give something of a clue.

Regards

Mark

[real steel]

There are some examples of these which the clamshell was retained & the police eagle added. Wittman has one on his site. Will post it. Though he does state somewhat rare to see this, some kept the clamshell intact, as you stated Mark "Bending the rules"

[Watchdog]

There are some examples of these which the clamshell was retained & the police eagle added. Wittman has one on his site. Will post it. Though he does state somewhat rare to see this, some kept the clamshell intact, as you stated Mark "Bending the rules"

I often wonder who might have had such a configuration given that these would be an other ranks / enlisted mans item rather than an officer grade. Maybe an "up to date" commemorative for an old hand or just occurring in out of the way posts with only one or two local "coppers"? Who knows but not mainstream large units I expect.

Regards

Mark

[real steel]

Agreed. I always refer to the thread.."Don't tell me they would not wear this". So many anomalies...impossible to discard, dispute anything really.

Yes..possibly these examples "slipped by" depending on location, good connections...whatever. Why so many M35 DD helmets survived when the order was given in the early 40's to remove the Nat. color decal ? I imagine it would be quite a large chore to enforce so much of this. Guess it was not a priority as the war progressed.

[Watchdog]

Indeed, pretty much like sewn-in trouser creases, polishing out cap badge detail and "slashing" of peaked (visor) caps, totally illegal but at the same time virtually unstoppable! We just have to guard against the unsrupulous who might use such affectations to produce a "one off" that was done for "fashion reasons" (see the contradiction between one-off and fashion? ).

Regards

Mark

[Anderson]

Be nice to see a close up photo of that "clamshell" and grip plates.