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

After Hitler came to power, the many German Police organizations still operating through their respective states and provinces were centralized under the guidance of SS-Reichsführer Himmler. The previous sidearm, a very long bayonet with clamshell addition, was altered to suit the newly formed Police. The new weapon was reworked and reissued having the following characteristics; the blade length was reduced to 13 inches, the clamshell was removed, the grip was shortened, and the new 3rd Reich Police grip insignia replaced the Weimar six-sided grip insignia. Since adequate numbers of reworked bayonets were available, few newly produced weapons were required. The weapon's hilt consisted of a nickel eaglehead pommel, oak-leafed quillon, and stag grip plates with Police insignia on obverse. The scabbard was black or brown leather with matching nickel mounts. The re-pointed blade normally is nickel plated. Usually matching numbers will appear on the reverse quillon and upper scabbard fitting reverse. These bayonets can be found slotted for rifle mount or plain.

POLBAY - 009 - 19158 - MUNICIPAL POLICE BAYONET - ALCOSO

This Police bayonet is in good overall condition throughout. The hilt is the heavy metal style, having nickel plating over brass base. The details to the pommel eagle area are exceptional, with hand-enhancing to the feathering and the bird’s eye. This enhancing appears on both sides. The cross guard area reflects overlapping oak leaves which extend into the quillon end. These oak leaves have also been hand-enhanced. The reverse area of the cross guard is plain at the center. It looks as though it has had its previous numbers polished off, which was often done when the Nazis took over these weapons from the Weimar police. The numbers did not really mean anything to the Nazis, so often they were ground off of these pieces. The grip plates are most interesting on this example. This Police bayonet is a cut-down version and the hilt was subsequently shortened when the clamshell was removed. The worker that accomplished this feat did more than the average craftsman. These grip plates are a fine stag having attractive grains being of tan and brown colors with golden edges. The craftsman doing the work, though, made a special attempt to countersink the rivets. These rivets are aluminum type and they have dressed heads on the both sides. Not only did the original craftsman countersink the rivet areas, but he also cut out the area where the police insignia was to be installed. This countersinking has resulted in an exceptional conditioned police insignia. The aluminum insignia is still crisp and in mint condition. It is an open oval wreath of overlapping oak leaves having a superimposed eagle with open wings grasping a wreathed swastika. A fine police insignia here. The old holes which were left from the original rivets have the fill still in them. A very interesting hilt here to study. The scabbard of this example is the typical leather shell. It is black in color and has decorative twin lines which run the length of both edges. The reverse is sewn up the rear. The scabbard mounts are the nickel type having scalloped edges where they meet the leather. They are retained by staples. It is interesting to note that there is a leather frog accompanying this example, but the obverse of the frog is black in color while the reverse is brown. It appears as though the obverse color was changed to reflect a match with the scabbard shell black color. This was a municipal bayonet, so this was the correct color for the frog. The Germans, being what they were, did not waste dye, so they left the brown color on the reverse of the frog. This frog is a very fine example, having a quality rivet in the center reverse. This frog rates in excellent plus plus to near mint condition. The cut down blade is the standard 13 inch length. It has the wide fuller that runs all the way to the shortened tip. The nickel plating of this blade is still mostly bright throughout, dulling a little bit toward the area where the shortening work was done. This blade still rates, though, at near mint condition. The reverse ricasso is stamped with the scales trademark having the firm’s initials “ACS” interspersed. On the reverse, the scales appear again within an arch shaped name of the firm above “Alexander Coppel Solingen”. There are also old numbers which appear stamped into the spine “414" and also into the throat area “536". The reverse of the scabbard is stamped “SDV542". As mentioned above, these numbers had no bearing on the Nazi Police departments. In interesting piece here with some nice extra care rendered to the shortening conversion. Excellent Plus Plus. $750.00

POLBAY - 010 - 23646 - SLOTTED RURAL POLICE BAYONET - WKC

This Police Bayonet is the type that has the slot which would enable it to fit onto a rifle. This slot is in good condition and the mortise button and lock still work well. The hilt of this example has excellent nickel plating throughout. This plating is 100% except on the portion of the reverse where the mortise key is inlaid. (This is a different metal and the plating did not stick as well.) The eagle head pommel has excellent feathering throughout, reflecting hand-enhancing. The quillon below also has good detail to the overlapping oak leaves extending to the quillon end. On the reverse, the quillon end also has the oak leaves; however, the center area is plain. There are no numbers on this cross guard. The grip plates are beauties, having an appealing dark brown and tan coloring in the raised areas and nice golden tones on the edges. These plates have been retained with aluminum rivets having dressed heads on both sides. There is a good open style Police insignia on the obverse. This aluminum insignia shows only the most modest of wear, still having details throughout the open oval wreath and the superimposed open winged eagle clutching a mobile swastika. A good hilt here, which was shortened during the period at the same time the blade was done. The scabbard shell is a fine brown leather color. This shell shows only nominal age, having the twin decorative lines on the edges of both sides and being sewn up the rear. The scabbard mounts are a good nickel type and they show only normal usage, having scalloped edges where they meet the leather. The reverse of the upper scabbard fitting is marked “S.Li22". This marking goes back to the previous time of the Weimar period and would not apply to the Nazis. That is why there are no markings on the reverse of the quillon. There is also a fine brown frog here. This frog is the style with four-rivet construction. The reverse of the frog is maker-stamped and dated “lago1930" (or 1938, I can’t make out the stamping.). The blade has been shortened and re-tipped to the usual 13 inches. This blade has good nickel plating, showing some discoloration at the re-tipped area. The rest of the blade, though, is nice and bright. The reverse ricasso is stamped with the full name of the firm “Weyersberg Kirschbaum & Co. Solingen”. The obverse of the blade is stamped with the firm’s knight head logo without initials below. A good, sound, Rural Police Bayonet here. Excellent Plus Plus. $795.00

POLBAY - 011 - 26983 - BADEN POLICE BAYONET - CARL EICKHORN

The Baden Police Bayonet is a rarely seen edged weapon and is also quite large. This example extends over 27 inches in length within the scabbard. It is very similar to the piece that is shown on the cover of the George Wheeler bayonet book, however, the example shown on the cover is probably Imperial period or 1920s, while this example is definitely Third Reich. The hilt of this piece is extremely interesting in its design. The pommel area comes upward and curves completely over in a curl. It almost looks like a big drooping nose. The cross guards are very similar to the Fire Department, as they rise up and down on either end. The ferrule and back strapping is all built into the hilt design which reflects outstanding nickel finish. This nickeling is 100% throughout and the base metal is heavy nickel or brass. The grip plates are a thick Bakelite form having outstanding checkered finish. The checkering is perfect throughout the black Bakelite and these grip plates are retained by two rivets, both having dressed heads on each side. The scabbard of this example consists of a black leather shell. This shell shows little age and is still supple and in excellent condition throughout. The shell is decorated with twin lines running the length of the edges on both sides. It is sewn up the rear. The scabbard has nickel mounts exactly matching the hilt. The mounts have scalloped edges where they meet the leather. They are retained by staples in the reverse in the usual manner. There is a number appearing below the staples. The upper mount has a lug which would have fitted a frog, while the lower mount is decorated with two twin-line engravings. There is a frog on this piece. It is a larger style example which must have been patent leather at some time. It has experienced attic crazing, but is still all there and is serviceable. The blade is a 21 inch long example. It is very impressive, having wide fuller construction with ricasso. This blade is covered with old grease which could be easily cleaned off by the next owner with a little bit of acetone or lighter fluid. Beneath the old grease, I see a few stains in the surfaces, but overall, the blade still looks to be pretty good and certainly grades at excellent plus. The reverse ricasso is stamped with the Eickhorn trademark used from 1933-1935. It is the small double ovals which have the firm’s name and location “Carl Eickhorn Solingen” within. Inside is a serrated tail rodent showing good detail throughout. There is a felt style blade buffer in place. A very rare Baden Police sidearm here and a great example for those collecting interesting bayonets.
Excellent Plus. $1,495.00