Rework or contract made ?
Hello
I got this bayo some time now and i still dont know what it is , is it a rework or made under contract .
there are waa marks on the pommel / guard / behind the grip plates / end of the scabberd .
The waa is with dropt wings , so it must be a eary one .
Nothing seems grinded off . it looks like a "commercial " one with a some kind of rework number .
( no markings on the spine of the blade )
Please share your thoughts
The key points are; no WaA on pommel, no maker mark/code on ricasso, style of press button & scabbard frog foot suggest pre-1940 manufacture.
The only WaA on the bayonet is on the tang (under grips) and is an earlier imperial style eagle.Unfortunately the number is unclear. In 1938 the inspection stamp changed to the Third Reich era style.
Put it together, and the bayonet was probably made before 1938, and with the presence of a WaA mark on tang only, it suggests a Spanish contract bayonet.
That's the problem with the bayo there are waa marks on it . i will try to upload some foto's
And this time i took a closer look , the waa is 253 . that would be 1935 to 1940 but you figured that out already ;-)
I would still say Spanish contract. Proof marks on component parts like the cross bar likely occurred before assembly, likewise scabbards are likely to have been inspected earlier and separately. Pommel WaffenAmt marks likely occurred at end of inspection process, but not on the Spanish contract bayonets, which do have a WaA253 mark on the tang under grip.
The bayonet posted is something of a puzzle, with my best estimate being that it's a rework. Versus an OEM Spanish export model with the polished steel hilt. The example posted below one of those with a partially erased straightwing WaA253 underneath the grips. Sometimes seen with Spanish markings this example does not have them, but the distinctive grips without a flashguard and (in the sunlight) bright blue finished scabbard sets it apart from some other German sourced export bayonets. Best Regards, Fred
Fred the picture you show fits the "first Spanish contract" specifications, the OP's example with flashguard and blued steel fit the second contract German made S84/98s's exported to Spain. The other possibility is it has been refurbished by the Spanish some years later, to bring it into line with their own M43 model.
I dont believe its a spanish contract, most real a reworked early Portugal Mo937, the crossguard looks like filled out, there was possible a weak serial number, WaA253 stamps on various parts speaks for Solingen post 1936 production.for this speaks the marking on scabbard. The flashguard is mixed and painted black which speaks for potugal rework.br.Andy
9817 was applied postwar probably, note the new fonts
The problem with your "Portugal contract" call is there are no WaffenAmt marks on the pommel. The M937 Portugal contract bayonets I have seen all have WaA253 stamped twice on the pommel, and serial numbers also on the pommel or crossguard. For the life of me, I cannot see evidence of "filing" on the crossbar to remove such numbers. And certainly no sign the pommel has been filed. A M937 Portugal pommel should look like this photo i've attached.
When You look at picture in answer nr. 3 there is WaA253 remains above locking nut, so there was a normal acceptance but was reworked, so the other normally seen WaA are filled out by remont or are present on crossguard , rifle slot, ball finial, the crossguard with magnyfing glass could be probably found weak remains of small letter. so i remain on a portugal early contract, the tang area and blade is too black painted,which is typical sign of portugal refurbishment.b.r.Andy
You must have X-ray eyes Andy as I don't see any sign of remains of the WaA 253 marks on the pommel. I guess we could ask the OP to post a close up photo.
I still can't see you filed crossbar. And as for black paint, the Spanish were also known to paint black their S 84/98 bayonets including scabbards. Quite common to find one with specks of black paint.
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