WITTMANN MILITARIA PO Box 350 - 279 West Main Street - Moorestown, NJ 08057 856-866-8733(ph) / 856-235-4954 (fax)

Home Inventory Listing Contact us Order

Site Search by PicoSearch. Help

The Kaiser's Armies of WWI carried various combat bayonets designed to fit a designated rifle. Rifle types are indicated on the various bayonets being offered. Imperial troops and officers frequently carried a large variety of fighting knives. Some are made to resemble small bayonets while others are of boot or trench knife style. The shapes and types are indicated in the descriptions.

IMPBAY - 001 - 25473 – Imperial KS 98 Sawback Bayonet – no maker

This Imperial Sawback bayonet shows a little bit of age and usage to the pommel area, but the side spine plates and quillon are still in good condition. The pommel shows a little bit of plating loss, but still would clean up nicely with minor effort. The mortise and lock buttons work well. The scabbard of this example is nice and straight, having good original paint. The paint shows some carrying time and a few chips here and there, but overall, it rates at about 80-85%. The lug is the style that is plain on the surfaces and has a pedestal at the bottom. The throat is slightly unusual in that I only see a built-in lip on one side. This is on the right side of the scabbard. The reverse is marked with a Regiment number, “13.H.911.” There are no other markings on this piece. The ten-inch blade is a fine bright example reflecting good nickel-plated surfaces. The upper spine is equipped with a very sharp sawback. This fine blade remains in a near mint state having only minor scratching here and here, but it would clean up nicely. The original blade buffer has gone to time. These sawback bayonets are always in demand and are great for display. Exc. + $295.00

IMPBAY - 004 - 26218 - K-98 COMBAT BAYONET - E & F HÖRSTER

This K-98 bayonet has an excellent blued finish throughout the hilt fittings, scabbard and also the blade. The blueing is in outstanding condition throughout, showing very little age. The mortise lock button is stamped with a waffenamt which is the type marked “WaA253". This same waffenamt is double-stamped on the top of the reverse pommel as well as on the lower ball of the scabbard. The grip plates are the purple Bakelite type and they are complete with the matching blued screw and spanner hardware. The screws do not look to have been turned. The scabbard is nice and straight, having the same fine original blue finish. The scabbard is complete with a K-98 style frog. This frog has the smooth finish leather and it is equipped with four aluminum rivets and also has the cross strap with aluminum boss retainer button. The reverse of this frog is maker stamped, which is illegible, but the date “1940" is still quite clear. The choice mint blade of this example is stamped on the obverse with the number “5328f”. This number matches that stamped into the upper scabbard area. The reverse ricasso is stamped with the maker’s name “E.uF.Hörster”. The spine section is stamped with the date this bayonet was produced “40". A very fine example here, in good, collectible condition. Near Mint. $325.00

IMPBAY - 006 - 25807 – Imperial Birdhead Bayonet with double-etch blade, no maker

This Imperial vintage birdhead bayonet appears to be a private purchase item. It is equipped with a nicely detailed eagle head pommel. This pommel looks identical to the George Wheeler, “Zeitengewehr” book on Page 124, upper. This edged weapon, overall, measures just short of thirteen inches with a blade of seven and three-quarter inch length. The hilt section is produced of unplated steel base. The steel has been factory blackened to give a better effect. The birdhead features an eagle, which looks to the viewer’s left. This bird has a beak that points upward slightly and is nicely detailed. His head has a crown-like top to it, which is also hand-engraved to portray feathering. The neck areas of both sides have detailed feathering running down the length of the pommel. This feathering resembles the type we see on Police Bayonets. The bird is equipped with two red eyes. These glass eyes are a very deep color; the obverse, having a faceted cut and the reverse being a smooth variety. This pommel is very good looking indeed! The crossguard quillon area remains with a plain surface finished and the quillon rises upward in a teardrop shape. The grip plates are a finely checkered, black hardwood. They are in good shape except for a crack, which appears on the obverse example at the lower portion. The obverse grip is equipped with an applied, matching steel cipher. This cipher portrays the Prussian crown over the letters, “WR,” Roman numeral, “II,” beneath. This cipher, of course, stands for Wilhelm, King of Prussia. The blade is a stepped bayonet variety, having small style fuller. This blade shows some age in its surfaces, but the original plating is still mostly bright and in good condition. There is no plating missing from the surfaces. This blade is double etched, having blue highlight panels. There are three panels on each side reflecting this blue background. The obverse features a center panel with the remembrance, “Erennerung/an den Weltkrieg.” This translates to, “In Remembrance of the World War.” Flanking the center panel are two smaller oval panels, the upper depicting the Prussian crown over the letter, “W, “ which is positioned over the Roman numeral, “II,” and below being a highly detailed Prussian eagle with crown over its head. The reverse blade has three oval panels, the center being an Iron Cross with the clear initials of the Kaiser, being a, “W,” and below this, “1914.” It is even possible to see the crown over the “W” on this highly detailed etching. Above the Iron Cross, is a sword within a wreath of laurel leaves and below, are crossed Standartes. The Standartes appear to be the Imperial German and the Austria-Hungary colors. Very nice work here and when it was new, it must have really been something to behold. Although age has taken its toll, the depictions are all still there and still look great. The blue backgrounds rate at approximately 85% throughout. The obverse ricasso is marked, “Ges. Gesch.” Indicating there was a patent pending on this bayonet design. The scabbard is the traditional short bayonet style, being straight throughout and having a black painted finish. The paint looks as though it could be an old repaint. All in all, though, a very rare bayonet, and certainly a fine example for those who collect Imperial bayonets and fighting knives. This birdhead bayonet is identical to the one shown on Page 303, center, of Johnson’s Volume VII. Excellent $895.00(#041808)

IMPBAY - 010 - 25897 – Imperial Crank-Handle Fighting Knife by Demag

This original Crank-Handle is in nice condition. It is the same as the example shown in the Johnson-Wittmann Imperial book, on pages 324 and 325. The grip is made of metal plates, which are off-set, giving the name, “Crank-Handle”, to this weapon. These grip plates are painted with an olive-drab paint, and although the paint shows wear and usage, it still is quite good, remaining at about 95%. These grip plates are retained by four steel rivets, having dressed heads on each side. There is also a rifle slot, with working mortise button, as this fighting knife was capable of being installed on a rifle, for deadly hand-to-hand combat. Overall, the weapon measures 11 inches. The crossguard is a steel type. It is painted black, and has about 60% to 70% of the paint remaining. The lower portion of the crossguard ends in a tear-drop style design. The upper example is cupped for resting against the rifle barrel, and there is also a hole below this, which assumedly, could be used for viewing the target. The blade is a 6 ¼ inch long example, having center ridge. It is single edged, and has a false edge that runs up about 1/3 of the blade. This blade is still bright, and has most of the original crossgraining. There are a few minor stains in the surfaces, but they are nothing. This blade grades in near mint condition. There is also a ricasso. On the obverse ricasso are the words indicating there was a patent pending on this design, “Gesetzlich/Geschützt”. On the opposite side is the maker name and logo of the producer. It is a small circle, which is stamped, and inside are the name and city of the producer, “Demag, Duisburg”. The original leather washer shows wear and age, but it is still there. The scabbard is a steel-tube type, having good black paint. This original paint rates at about 95%. Attached to the reverse upper area of the scabbard, is a leather belt loop. Unfortunately, a small portion of the leather has broken loose, but most of the loop is still there. These Crank Handles are difficult to come by, and watch out for reproductions.
Excellent, Plus $395.00(#081607)

IMPBAY - 014 - 26032 - IMPERIAL FIGHTING/SKINNER KNIFE - No Maker

This Imperial fighting/skinner knife measures approximately 9.5 inches overall. The handle is made up of a piece of genuine stag. This antler material is a lighter color tan, having brown tones in the grain. It shows quite a bit of surface wear, so this piece was definitely used. At the top of the antler there is a plain cap which acts as a pommel. At the lower area, there is a ribbed ferrule. The blade is a 4.5 inch skinning type which has a ricasso which also acts as a quillon. The blade is single edged and shows some age in the surfaces, but no rust or pitting. This knife fits into a brown leather scabbard which is reinforced at the bottom area with double leather and a rivet at the tip. It is sewn up the rear, and at the throat area, has a combination belt loop and strap with snap which retains the knife by folding over the ricasso area when the knife is in place within the scabbard. This brown scabbard/sheath is in excellent condition. This example is similar to the one shown on Page 334, right, of the Johnson/Wittmann Imperial book. Excellent. $150.00

IMPBAY - 015 - 26035 - IMPERIAL FIGHTING KNIFE - No Maker

This fighting knife measures approximately 9.5 inches in length. It is equipped with an antler stag grip which bends to the left at the top. The grip is nicely tan colored and is golden where it has been trimmed to fit the cross guard and also to fit the flat pommel on the top. The top pommel appears to be a brass boss. The ferrule is a very small device which is built in to the steel cross guard. The cross guard goes outward with two quillon arms which bend slightly downward, ending in teardrops at the finish. This cross guard is all in a natural steel patinated color. The blade is about 5 inches long, having very short ricasso and bowie style shape. The single edge has been factory sharpened and rises upward about a quarter of an inch along the entire blade length. This is a well-made item. The sheath is a brown leather which is riveted and sewn. At the upper section of the sheath there are retainer loops which snap about the grip as well as the cross guard quillons. Both snaps are in good condition. A nice hunting style knife which also most-likely serviced as a fighting example. Excellent Plus. $150.00

IMPBAY - 022 - IMPERIAL / WEIMAR SCALED DOWN BAYONET / FIGHTING KNIFE