ww1 Sawback Bayonet

**cerick1450** · 11-19-2018, 02:02 AM

Hello. I came across these pictures of a WW1 sawback Bayonet that I picked um many years ago. I have it is storage, so I am sorry for the poor photo's. It is not maker marked, and has a couple of proof marks, and numbers. When I picked it up, it was from the WW1 vets family, so I have his name , etc, as well as the unit he was with. Is this a Seitengewehr 98/05 aA
Any information, is appreciated..
Thank you..

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 11-19-2018 02:02 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Alex W** · 11-19-2018, 06:33 AM

Not an expert but I believe yours is a Seitengewehr 98/05 nA S (neure Art mit Säge - new type with saw) as it has a flash guard on the handle and it doesn't have the extended muzzle ring ears.

**Anderson** · 11-19-2018, 07:20 AM

That is correct Alex. It's not a 1st pattern "a.A" for the reasons you mention. However some 1st pattern were converted to 2nd pattern specs, by shortening the "ears" (muzzle guide) and adding the flashguard. That would have occurred from 1915 onwards. The way to settle it is for Cerick to tell us if there are marks on the blade spine, near the crossguard. Is there a crown, W and number? And what that number is?
And it's not uncommon to find S98/05's without a marker mark on the blade, this was because with use of many subcontractors making component parts, blades sometimes missed out being marked.
The fraktur mark on the pommel is a little unusual, perhaps double struck.

**cerick1450** · 11-19-2018, 03:11 PM

Thank you for the help. I dug out the bayonet, Here are the pictures. No marking..

**rra227** · 11-19-2018, 03:14 PM

Nice bayonet. Rich A. in Pa.

**cerick1450** · 11-20-2018, 05:27 AM

Thank you, I was happy to pick it up. WW1 era items are not my specialty, but still thought this looked like a nice original.
So without the W and a date on the spine, does that mean it is not a rework? Thanks for the help..

**Anderson** · 11-20-2018, 09:30 AM

So what I think you have there is a private purchase S98/05 n.A m.S made post 1915. It has a single proof fraktur on the pommel (two is usual on military contract) and is without the Imperial Acceptance mark of a military contract bayonet.
So who would have bought it? The Imperial Army issued the sawback model initially to Engineer and Machine Gun troops, as a dual purpose implement. So it was fairly exclusive. Less than 10% of S98/05's were of the sawback variation. It did become to be worn by NCO's as a preferred "symbol of office",so here is the possibility. That it was a private purchase for a NCO, perhaps worn with his walking out uniform.