Rare 98/05 nAS

[Dok]

Hello everyone, I'm interested in your opinion. I have a similar S98 / 05 nA and it doesn't have a release date. But for the first time I came across such a butcher with a saw. It has a 1916 production year. Usually butchers marked with the letter D also have another H. Kaufmann Sohne Indianwerk marking. On my bayonets there is only one marking in the form of the letters D.
The manufacturer is most likely the company L.O.Dietrich. The question is why one has a year of issue, and the other does not.
Regards

[Dok]

S98/05 nA

[Dok]

From the Book of Voronov

[Chopperman]

My guess is that it was made and sold as a private purchase piece so there was
no need for all of the government inspection stamps. Just this morning I was at
a gun show and came across unmarked example.

[Anderson]

As Greg says without the Royal cypher and year date, likely private purchase. It's worth remembering what was going on around 1915. Some makers were making both aA and nA version that year. While I'm not suggesting a Bavarian connection, it's worth mentioning that in 1915 the Bavarian war ministry instructed all officers to replace their swords with the S 98/05, so presumably by private purchase. It not clear whether this order was widely accepted, many ignored it but some probably did buy a S98/05 as a side arm. Certainly the unmarked version is not uncommon.

[Dok]

As Greg says without the Royal cypher and year date, likely private purchase. It's worth remembering what was going on around 1915. Some makers were making both aA and nA version that year. While I'm not suggesting a Bavarian connection, it's worth mentioning that in 1915 the Bavarian war ministry instructed all officers to replace their swords with the S 98/05, so presumably by private purchase. It not clear whether this order was widely accepted, many ignored it but some probably did buy a S98/05 as a side arm. Certainly the unmarked version is not uncommon.

My bayonet 98/05 nA has inspection marks on the pommel. Do you think this is also a private purchase?

[Anderson]

Yes. See this thread.

Butcher blade saw back

[Dok]

That is, if I understand you correctly, all bayonets 98/05 without the monogram W on the back of the blade spine to private purchases. In particular, this also applies to all bayonets 98/05 manufactured by J.H.Becker

[Dok]

By the way, on my butcher 98\05nAS, I see inspection marks on the pommel - L.O.DIETRICH in cooperation with other manufacturers. Can this be a confirmation that the letter D really stands for the abbreviated name of the manufacturer L.O.Dietrich