KS-98 Manufacturers & Distributors

This is only scratching the surface of the many different manufacturers and many, many different distributors competing for the KS-98 market in pre-war Germany.

Distributor, Ferdinand Erdt, Kaufbeuren


Manufacturer, Horstator, - Early alternate name used by E&F Hörster


Distributor, Horst Wolff, Leipzig


Distributor, Hermann Schellhorn, Offenbach am Main


Distributor, Hermann Schellhorn variant


Distributor, Georg Rieder, München


Distributor, Linnenbrüger & Ellermann, Bielefeld


Distributor or Manufacturer?? Unknown


Manufacturer, HK (thought to be Krieghoff)


Distributor, J. Hommel

Linnenbruegger and Ellermann is sometimes only marking on bayonets, sometime with graphical marking, so there is a theory the firm could be a maker too or assembler minimum.

AndyB said:

Linnenbruegger and Ellermann is sometimes only marking on bayonets, sometime with graphical marking, so there is a theory the firm could be a maker too or assembler minimum.

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Sorry Andy, I don't agree with your comment regarding L&E. It's pretty much an established fact they were distributors of equipment for the Feurwehr, to include the Seitengewehre.

Here is the most common L&E logo. The only known distributor marking with a swastika.
This particular piece bears the 1937-41 Eickhorn logo on the reverse.


The least common of the L&E logos.


Here is a seldom seen L&E marked frog.

Then You have right, but i saw many items only with the logo, so they must be unmarked when orderer by the firm.

Denny,

Where would Alcoso KS-98's fall in the pecking order of value?
Totally out of the blue, my wife called me from her visit with her uncle out in California, who heard I was getting into WW2 weapon collecting, and showed her his uncle's actual bring-back dress bayonet.
Happens to be an Alcoso, which I just researched on-the-spot to match the maker with this photo of the mark she sent me over night.
Not sure of the condition of the whole piece, but this looks like its the version of the Alcoso mark, without their whole name spelled out, just the A & C and Scales (and S for Solingen?).
Also come to find out that Alcoso was an acronym for Alexander Coppel of Solingen, who was the Jewish owner of the business before it was overtaken by the nazi's before the war.
Bottom line, her uncle is bequeathing it me, since he knows I'll give it a good home.

Just curious if they're any more valuable, since I hadn't seen much relating to Alcoso as a maker up until now.

Also - since there's no frog that came with this one, and my other KS-98 had a damaged frog, where would one find decent period-accurate leather for these dress bayonets? I mainly see standard k98 frogs all day long on eBay, etc.
Thanks,

Alexander Coppel/Alcoso was one of the largest cutlery firms in Germany. It was established in 1821 and is still operating today. They had many different logos over the years. The ACS w/scales was in use until the Nazi take-over in 1936, with the Alcoso mark after that. Alcoso bayonets show up on a regular basis and can't be considered rare. Still, they are well made and certainly fill a gap in one's collection. As a side note, Alcoso used the cofe "fnj" on their 84/98 III field bayonets.

Frogs?? I gues it's just a matter of doing a little digging. You should be able to find them with a little effort.

Thanks Denny - Great Info!
I love learning about this stuff.
So, I take it that this particular unit with the ACS and Scales would be pre-1936 then?

A few more....

Some of these are rare - all are scarce.

Distributor, Johann Leupold, "Johanniswerk", Bayreuth


Manufacturer, Carl Spitzer Jr., Solingen - Extremely rare


Manufacturer, Gottfried Weyersberg Söhne, KG, Solingen, Baron w/Flower Pot trademark - Extremely rare


Distributor, Marquardt & Ebert, Ludwigsburg


Distributor, Esser & Co., Köln, Krebsgasse 20


Distributor, G. Schüle, Böblingen - Rare


Distributor, August Lüneburg, Kiel - Rare


Distributor, Gebrüder Müller, Fulda


Distributor, Edward Scherm, Nürnberg


Manufacturer, Carl Lütters & Cie, Solingen
(occasionally seen with their Löwenwerk trademark)

Unidentified KS98 Short Bayonet Maker Mark

As a new member of this forum I need assistance in identifying the maker / distributor mark on a KS98 recently purchased by a friend. The mark on the blade is an elongated triangle with another triangle inserted in it. In the center is a linear marking that looks like an exclamation point. I have not been able to find any reference information regarding this particular mark. Is anyone familiar with this mark? Thank you. Luftmarine

KS-98 Leather Donut

HI Denny,

My wife's uncle shipped me that Alcoso KS-98 bayonet this week.
Its in "so-so" shape, with some surface rusting of the pommel and cross-guard.
Other than that, its ok. Blade is nice and shiny, and not sharpened.
It is, however, missing the leather donut at the base of the blade.
Is there a source that sells these? (either repro or original?)

Also, the frog tang on the scabbard seems to spin freely.
Is this something I can fix (or should fix)?

Interesting that this scabbard is different than my EF Horster KS-98.
The retaining spring strips are part of the throat piece on the ACS, where the EF Horster has them as separate pieces.
(and I was able to remove the whole interior assembly to clean it, unlike my EF Horster, which seemed to be soldered together, or at least seized)

Thanks!

luftmarine said:

As a new member of this forum I need assistance in identifying the maker / distributor mark on a KS98 recently purchased by a friend. The mark on the blade is an elongated triangle with another triangle inserted in it. In the center is a linear marking that looks like an exclamation point. I have not been able to find any reference information regarding this particular mark. Is anyone familiar with this mark? Thank you. Luftmarine

Click to expand...

That would be:

Richard Plümacher Sohn Stahlwarenfabrik, Solingen.

This is a not often seen manufacturer mark. I don't know if I would call it rare, but certainly uncommon. Great catch!!

Welcome to the forum!

BergerBoy said:

HI Denny,

My wife's uncle shipped me that Alcoso KS-98 bayonet this week.
Its in "so-so" shape, with some surface rusting of the pommel and cross-guard.
Other than that, its ok. Blade is nice and shiny, and not sharpened.
It is, however, missing the leather donut at the base of the blade.
Is there a source that sells these? (either repro or original?)

Also, the frog tang on the scabbard seems to spin freely.
Is this something I can fix (or should fix)?

Interesting that this scabbard is different than my EF Horster KS-98.
The retaining spring strips are part of the throat piece on the ACS, where the EF Horster has them as separate pieces.
(and I was able to remove the whole interior assembly to clean it, unlike my EF Horster, which seemed to be soldered together, or at least seized)

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Hi Bergerboy. Sorry, I don't know of any source for leather spacers.
Regarding the frog tang, a drop of super glue placed carefully in just the right spot will correct the problem.
As your collection grows, you will see a lot of minor variations (as you mention with your retaining springs) from one maker to another. Keep in mind that these KS98's were not nearly as tightly controlled as were the political blades by the RZM. The variations are what adds to the fun.

Unknown KS98 Manufacturer

denny gaither said:

That would be:

Richard Plümacher Sohn Stahlwarenfabrik, Solingen.

This is a not often seen manufacturer mark. I don't know if I would call it rare, but certainly uncommon. Great catch!!

Welcome to the forum!

Click to expand...

Denny,

Thanks for the help in identifying this manufacturer. Now all I need to do is too try and determine when this dagger was made. I look forward to future postings on this site, as I have several KS 98 daggers in my personal collection (too include one early 3-rivet model). Thanks again.

Luftmarine

Let's see some pictures of your three rivet model. These early pieces are sort of interesting and not often encountered.
Here are a few shots of an unmarked manufacturer, but with Phillip Hess, Darmstadt distributor mkgs.

The frog is probably incorrect, but came with the bayonet.


Notice the anemic crossguard and non-functional press stud.


Reverse side shows lack of mortice key.






Typical carbine-style short blade.


Distributor marking on blade reverse.


Black felt plug.

buffers

Bergerboy. Sorry, I don't know of any source for leather spacers.

Try http://www.johnsonreferencebooks.com/cataloguemain.html

I purchased some years ago, he may still make them. If you can find some old leather, try making some. Its not hard, use an original for a pattern.

Tkissinger