BACKGROUND: Bayonets have a long history and their lineage and origins can be traced back to spears, pikes and halberds used in ancient times. The actual origins of the first bayonets has been obscured by time with different accounts attributing the bayonets birth to different people, locations and time periods. It can reasonable be established that the bayonet wasn’t introduced until after the advent of the use of gunpowder and muskets, for which they were designed to accompany. One account alleges the first bayonets originated prior to the 1650's, by chance rather then design, although other accounts trace the bayonet’s usage as far back as 1570 in both France and Germany. In his memoirs, posthumously released in 1747, French General, de Puységur the Elder, from Bayonne in southern France, (hence the term, bayonet), references use of bayonets during a battle at Ypres in 1647 when his musketeers had run out of powder and/or ball shot for their muskets and in desperation stuck their hunting knifes into the barrels of their muskets creating a spear/pike type weapon that would eventually evolve into the "modern" bayonet. The first real bayonets differed from their earlier ancestors in that they were specifically designed to be attached to the end of a firearm, creating a "two-in-one" type weapon. The earliest bayonets were the "plug" type with the handle of the bayonet being secured into the musket barrel effectively neutralizing the use of the musket. The early, relatively impractical "plug" type bayonets evolved into the "socket" type which allowed the firearm to be used with the bayonet secured in place. Eventually an assortment of bayonet/firearm attachments were developed by different nations and with the unification of the assorted German states in 1871 the "TO" slotted, press stud, style of bayonet/firearm attachment was adopted as the standard form of bayonet/rifle attachment and remained in use, with some refinements, through-out both World wars and beyond. The Prussian/German S84/98 bayonet was first introduced by the Imperial German army circa 1905 and was a modification of the earlier S71/84 bayonet which had been adopted in January 1884. In 1915 a new pattern S84/98 bayonet was produced which had minor modifications. The modified S84/98 bayonets were manufactured until 1917 when further minor modifications were enacted in 1918. The S84/98 bayonet continued in production during the Weimar Reichswehr, era, (National Defence Force, Circa 1919-1933). Although another modification of the S84/98 bayonet, designated as the K98 bayonet, began production in 1934, the earlier pattern S84/98 bayonets continued to be manufactured, in limited quantities, right up until late in WWII. During the Third Reich period, (Circa 1933-1945), numerous blade manufacturers produced customized, private purchase versions of the S84/98 and KS98 bayonets for dress wear. The dress bayonets were manufactured with an assortment of minor, optional, variations with a long model, 9 7/8", (25cm), blade for enlisted personnel and a shorter, (7 7/8", 20cm), blade for NCO’s and Officers. Due to the dress bayonets similarity to the issue bayonets they experienced slow sales and the F. W. Höller firm of Solingen attempted to increase demand by marketing the dress bayonets as the "Pionier", (Engineer), models, although they were available to personnel in all branches of service. It is not known if the marketing strategy was successful in increasing sales but it did result in the dress bayonets commonly being referred to as "Pioniere Extrawaffe", (Engineer’s Special Weapon). A popular option offered by the blade manufacturers was an acid etched motif on the blade for a nominal extra cost. Most of the etched designs were of a standard pattern that were applied by the use of a template and were copyrighted by the manufacturing firm. Additionally more personalized etched designs were also available at a slightly higher, extra cost. As with the K98 bayonets the dress bayonets were accompanied by a bayonet frog to be worn on the reverse left side of the load carrying waist belt.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The bayonet has a roughly, 7 7/8", (20cm), long, nickel/silver plated, drop forged, steel construction blade with a wide fuller to each side and a full length, including the hilt of roughly, 12 3/4", (32.5 cm). The blade is in overall very good, clean, bright condition with minor scabbard runner marks. The reverse ricasso is well marked with acid etched manufacturer’s logo for Daniel Krebs. The reddish/brown leather washer is still intact. The bayonet has a nickel/silver plated, tooled alloy, crossguard with one up-swept arm, a "flash guard" and a stylized eagle head pommel. The bayonet has diamond grooved, molded, black bakelite grips which are secured to the hilt by two, small, dome headed, steel rivets. The "TO" slotted, stylized eagle head pommel and stud button are intact and the stud button still functions. The bayonet comes complete with it’s original, black painted, oval tipped, sheet metal scabbard. The bayonet also comes with a nice quality, private purchase, brown, patent leather frog.