KS98 Single Etch Bayo - Eickhorn

**Rossi** · 10-16-2014, 08:10 AM

Hey Guys,

I was looking through the threads on etched bayonets. Here are some pictures of mine. Have had this for over 10 years in our collection. I have had it looked at by 4 reputable dealers. 2 in person and 2 via photos who say authentic and also other trusted collectors as well. I am opening it up for your viewing as well. Hope that you like it ....or....Maybe even Love it? I personally am an Eickhorn fan or I-corn-nut.

Hopefully you bayonet crazies like me will opine on this one and deem it worthy.

Obverse blade features Carl Eickhorn etch pattern Nr. 3219 with a ribbon band and standard remembrance of service time motto surrounded by oak leaves with raised Wehrmacht eagle at each end of the etched panel. What we liked about this blade is the entire etched panel features a unique, light gold wash showing only minor wear to lower center ridge of blade. Most likely from old guilding.

Scabbard retains approximately 90% black enamel showing some light surface wear/crazing and some loss of enamel to ball. Reverse lower frog features a "D.R.P."(Deutsches Reich Patent) marked black metal "stiffening" plate.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 10-16-2014 08:10 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**RH1941** · 10-16-2014, 09:42 AM

Rossi my etched is a little different then yours .yours is not showing the full etching. I will post mine later to compare. Gary

**Larry C** · 10-16-2014, 10:11 AM

Etched bayonets are so difficult to discern, looking at the behind a computer screen. I have seen plenty of these in hand both good and bad..and very discernible. Yet when both good and bad are posted and placed on the computer screen..they all look the same. I can not make a comment on the etch.

Comparisons of similar producer types is a good start.

Regards Larry

**RH1941** · 10-16-2014, 10:48 AM

Larry what do you think about the scroll only being on one side

**Wagriff** · 10-16-2014, 11:03 AM

With the enormous output of etched bayonets from out of Britain in the 1990's, personally, I will only consider pieces with absolute provenances. The way that the right hand framing edge crosses the fuller groove in the 6th photo is not reassuring on this one. One would think that an old and famous for quality firm such as Eickhorn would not produce an etch that looks to be off-centered.

**Larry C** · 10-16-2014, 11:33 AM

by RH1941

Larry what do you think about the scroll only being on one side

Hi RH....IMO I have only seen them on the cross guard facing down..and point facing to the left..which is the way the bayonet sits inside the scabbard..with blade facing out, being presented that way..BUT...Gents like Jim P. ,, Timothy Fred..Sleepwalker would be more qualified to give a more precise answer. My thoughts were just observations of the authentic types, I had seen in hand. Regards Larry

**Jim P** · 10-16-2014, 12:33 PM

This is going to be a tough one and will take more time than I have available this morning before work. At 1st glance it shows lots of good detail, but there are a few things I'm unsure about, like the squared of book end instead of the fleur de lis style point. I'll have more time tonight to really study and research it.

As we've all talked about before, I believe all things etched can be pretty convincingly reproduced. So, without rock solid provenance, who could ever be 100% certain of originality.

Jim

**Rossi** · 10-16-2014, 03:34 PM

Hey Guys,

Good Morning! Appreciate the review so early this Thursday a.m. I hope this may add to the thread on my bayo so forgive in advance my detail. I am a former sniper so detail is my deal and fault I guess according to my bride of 25 years. Grab a donut, coffee, bagel or if you choose a blood mary this a.m. as you read. Thanks for the input all and Gary as well with the question on the etch. Gary...Is yours a short or long K98? Would love to see pictures as well. No rush as I own this piece and am not buying it.

I won't claim to have all the answers but here is what I know and have studied over the years. The Short - KS98 dress bayonet by Eickhorn always had the fleur de lis design squared off towards the crossguard. The fleur de lis (french style) pattern Nr. 3219 on the long K98s is full and the fleur de lis is full on both ends and not squared off towards crossguard. Eickhorn's catalog shows this to be the case for specs or at least what I have been told. If the full design was to be put on short bayonet I am not certain it would even fit due the curvature of the blade towards tip. I would be suspect of a blade that has an Eickhorn Short KS98 with a full Nr. 3219 pattern with one end not being squared off. If you look at Johnson's book page 177 in Volume I you will see it as a full Nr. 3219 on a long bayonet. If view page 249 of Volume IV of Johnson's book there are two other Eickhorn patterns with the fluer de lis pattern squared off towards crossguard. Very normal.

On Johnson's site currently I went and looked as well at two of his Eickhorn etched bayonets at items KS98 Shorts #25448 & 28958 and it rings consistent there with a squared off fluer de lis pattern. T. Johnson does have a K98 long bayonet on the site item #28957 with the Nr. 3219 service motto having both ends of the fluer de lis pattern shown in full by Eickhorn. That is proper for the long version.

As far as the gold wash. We looked into it pretty well. When we had this piece reviewed our opinion & other collectors / dealers was that the letters were guilded gold originally on this piece when it was made. Over time the gold guilding on letters with the bayonet being used in and out of scabbard has come off and with moisture, etc...allowed the gold tint / guidling it to seep into the recesses of the etch. The Eickhorn firm did 2finish patterns I believe - Blued and Guilded as a standard with etchings. We believe this was one of the those two and thus where the very light gold tint has come from over time. So that is just our opinion right or wrong. It was confirmed by many the theory there of the gold wash. It is cool anyway.

The etch is proper depth for an Eickhorn etch so really no worries on my end about authenticity. I know other bayonet manufacturers blade etching did have a lighter etch with less depth but Eickhorn was one of the best etches as far as depth. I know etched bayos have lots of controversary and it is good to be weary for sure.

So anyway. Those are the thoughts from one collector.

Additional For Reference Below: Also attached a couple pictures of a long bayonet etched with full Nr. 3219 motto with full fluer de li pattern from another well know dealer. Also attached a picture of the two shorts on page 249 showing the squared off look on the ks98 short etching by Eickhorn. I also have a good collector friend who has a short KS98 Eickhorn Stag Handle with the Nr. 3219 Service motto shown below for another pictoral reference. He sent me to add to thread.