Trench knife

[Haltsign45]

Hoping for a bit of info on this knife, has no makers mark or stamps. Would I be correct in thinking possible private purchase knife , with possible WW1 date.

[rbminis]

Would I be correct in thinking possible private purchase knife , with possible WW1 date.

Yes, you would.
I suggest you look closely at the handle material, it is possible that it is made from horn like my marked example. Or, possibly wood as well.
Is there a slot in the rear of the handle?
Ralph.

Marked Anton Wingen.







An unmarked example, wood I believe.

[Anderson]

I agree with Ralph, the grips are key area to give an indication of age. I think they may be early Bakelite rather than horn that was often used in the pre-WW1 and WW1 period. Could equally be 1920's. A nice authentic piece even with out maker marks, and there are several possible makers.

[Reibert]

Beautiful, "Privat beschaffter", (privately purchased), Armeedolch.
Is the pommel magnetic or non-magnetic?

If you enter the term Armeedolch in the advanced search of the Forum, you will find comparable pieces, for example:
Armeedolch m. roten Bakelit-Griffschalen

Officers trenchknife Carl Eickhorn

[Haltsign45]

Thankyou for all the information, I’ll check this evening to see if the grips are Bakelite or horn and if the pommel is magnetic.

[Haltsign45]

Just checked pommel is magnetic and unsure of grip material.

[Anderson]

Interesting. I think the grip plates are not original and can see signs they have been shaped to fit, but not recently. I think the knife could well be a WW1 era knife that had originally carved horn or wood grips that have later been replaced with a Bakelite type, quite possibly in the 1930's or '40's.

[AndyB]

Looks like celuloid grips,when looking at the backspine of handle, is more real the piece was wrongly stored and the grips were bented in grip, as visible gap on end of tang where is joining inside of pommel, possible the upper rivets is not extra holding. From right side it looks like good fitted only the backside of left grip is little protruding. Could be to a replacements, but celuloid grips tend to bending and cracking after long period in various temperature storage. When it would be bakelit, that would be not possible similar bending of grips as this is temperature independent in form after molding.

[Anderson]

I think you are missing the other differences seen in the example of Ralph's knives where the cross hatch pattern curves round to the edge and fit snugly. These grip plates have the filed smooth edge of a shaped grip plate such as adapted from a KS98 bayonet. The photo #6 shows poor fitting, not I would think as swollen celuloid.