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WWII German Police Dress Bayonet -
The German police formed a very important arm of Hitler's hold to power. While the organization was technically civilian, the activities, uniforms and equipment employed reflected more as a paramilitary group.

Officers were allowed to wear a dress bayonet as part of their uniform. These items were worn promarily at special social events such as parties, parades, weddings, etc. The parade bayonets were beautifully design and were meant to compliment the looks of the uniform rather than be a weapon for fighting.

A lesser quality police bayonet was also available. The police dress bayonet is featured in this page.





THE DESIGN OF THE BAYONET
The design of the dress bayonet consists of an elegant set of stag handles with one side bearing the metal police insignia. The pommel is an extension of the handle's frame. It ends in the shape of an eagle head facing to the left. The eye of the eagle's head is formed by the lugnut release button. The crossguard has a single rounded extension that points upwardly. The other side has a round indentation which normally holds the barrel of the rifle, even though this bayonet could not really be mounted to one.

The scabbard is made of black leather. It has two silver colored metal fittings. One at the throat and one at the tip. The throat fitting is secured via the us of a screw. The tip fitting is secured by a staple in the back section. A brown leather frog is present. The purpose of this piece is to allow the bayonet to be worn by the officer. The frog is sewn together with heavy duty white cotton thread, Two rivets are also added and placed strategically at the points of stress.

The blade is fully chromed. It is of single edge construction with a heavt spine. Tapering at the tip and becoming double edge in that section. The length of the blade is longer than the standard bayonet employed by the German armed forces.



THE BLADE OF THE BAYONET
The blade of the bayonet is stamped at the base with the manufacturer's logo which consists of the figure of the head of a knight facing to the left. The initials WKC are placed just below. This was a well known maker of quality edge weapons of the Third Reich.

The other side of the blade is marked with the words: Weyersberg, Kirschbaun & Co (WKC fully speeled out) followed by the name of the town "Solingen".

This page is a recognition and identification guide for German bayonets. Multiple detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point out specific points that should be noted.

One of the most commonly asked questions is "How much is my German bayonet worth?". A price guide is included here to address this question. The value of the Nazi bayonets is reviewed over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth of the police sword in the collector's market is illustrated.

This service is provided free of charge to the visitor/enthusiast courtesy of MilitaryItems.com, a company dedicated to the preservation of military history and to providing quality military antiques and collectibles to museums, institutions and the general public.
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
  1. FAQ's
  2. Dagger and sword anatomy
  3. Edge weapon RZM numbers
  4. German Dagger hangers
  5. Edge weapon maker markings
  6. Hilt markings
  7. German edge weapon materials
  8. Perspective view
  9. Purchasing a German bayonet


The quality control at the factory was very stringent. A production number was stamped on the blade and the scabbard. The numbers were the same. This concept is known in the collector's wprls as matching numbers.

Over the course of the years it was not uncommon to have bayonets and scabbards be interchanged, therefore loosing the characteristic of having the same number. This is one reason why it is harder to find matching number bayonets.

The photograph that follows shows an example of how the bayonets were marked. In this case a three digit number was employed (106). The location of where the number was placed may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and depending on the year.



A closer look at the pommel shows the eagle head styling. All metal construction in silver color. A section protrudes out to simulate the beak. The lugnut release button simulates the birds's eye. Layering to the left and right of the eye define the head area in an artistic fashion. Plumeage is placed just below the eye. Very nice detailing to each feather. It ends at the top of the stag handle.

The pommel ads a very appealing touch to the overall design of the police bayonet. This is one of the most intricate designs among the nazi pommels.






This edge weapon is currently being reproduced. It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of edge weapons. Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of the item.



If you have an interest is seeing other edge weapons of the Third Reich, you can do so by going to our WWII German Edge Weapons identification guide. Where we cover blades from the Heer (Army), Navy (Kriegsmarine), Air Force (Luftwaffe) and other organizations.





PRICING GUIDE INFORMATION

The value for the German Daggers, bayonets and other military antiques and collectibles is provided as a means to educate the collector community and individuals who have a general interest on the field. The following is an estimated value. Prices may vary in every state and every country. This service is provided courtesy of MilitaryItems.com . The source for military antiques and collectibles in the web.

Year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Value $600.00 $600.00 $650.00 $700.00 $750.00
Availability Rare Rare Rare Rare Rare
Invest Grade A A A A A


While the item featured here is not for sale, similar items like it are available for purchase in our website MilitaryItems.com


 
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