Quite the unusual piece here and the only one that I have ever encountered. At first glance, a standard early 1944 fnj coded Alexander Coppel & Cie (Alcoso) S84/98III. The condition is a bit below what I prefer but it is still a solid collectable condition used and carried piece. Suffering perhaps from poor storage or other exposure to the elements. Thin blue finish with wooden grips and double SW Eagle WaA519 proof stampings to the reverse pommel. Decent overall machining and finish as one would anticipate from Alcoso.
The piece has matching numbers 1923 with letter block a for very early production in 1944. These numbers are stamped on the obverse of both the blade and scabbard. The blade is especially nice being that very dark matt blue almost black finish. The reverse blade is where the piece starts getting interesting as instead of being stamped 44fnj to match the scabbard (as one might anticipate) it bears the commercial Alcoso AWS Scales with Solingen trademark.
The Alcoso AWS Solingen with scales trademark is well documented as encountered on late war commercial S84/98III bayonets. These pieces are found marked only with the above trademark on the bayonet and are without serial number or WaA. The commercial scabbards are completely unmarked, without maker, serial number, or WaA. Production of the first examples with this trademarks commenced in very late 1943 and feature wooden grips scales while those produced into 1944 exhibit the late war red in color phenolic material grips.
Termed a hybrid (my words) for want of a better term as it combines military and commercial maker's marks with traditional serial numbering sequences. An interesting commercially trademarked blade that for unknown reasons was mated with a military scabbard, proofed, serial numbered and pressed into service for the Wehrmacht. If anyone here has further information on this pattern of bayonet please provide details.
The attached pictures may tell the story better than my words. Thanks for looking!
The piece has matching numbers 1923 with letter block a for very early production in 1944. These numbers are stamped on the obverse of both the blade and scabbard. The blade is especially nice being that very dark matt blue almost black finish. The reverse blade is where the piece starts getting interesting as instead of being stamped 44fnj to match the scabbard (as one might anticipate) it bears the commercial Alcoso AWS Scales with Solingen trademark.
The Alcoso AWS Solingen with scales trademark is well documented as encountered on late war commercial S84/98III bayonets. These pieces are found marked only with the above trademark on the bayonet and are without serial number or WaA. The commercial scabbards are completely unmarked, without maker, serial number, or WaA. Production of the first examples with this trademarks commenced in very late 1943 and feature wooden grips scales while those produced into 1944 exhibit the late war red in color phenolic material grips.
Termed a hybrid (my words) for want of a better term as it combines military and commercial maker's marks with traditional serial numbering sequences. An interesting commercially trademarked blade that for unknown reasons was mated with a military scabbard, proofed, serial numbered and pressed into service for the Wehrmacht. If anyone here has further information on this pattern of bayonet please provide details.
The attached pictures may tell the story better than my words. Thanks for looking!
