*German, WW2, Police Dress Bayonet (Seitengewehr) & Scabbard, Carl Eickhorn - Solingen, Unit Marked*
Scarce WW2 German Ordnungspolizei dress bayonet by Carl Eickhorn, Solingen, with Burg Police School and Lüneburg district markings.
This is a very good original German Police dress bayonet (Seitengewehr) with its original scabbard, manufactured by Carl Eickhorn, Solingen. This example features a bright, fullered blade measuring 33 cm, crisply stamped with the Carl Eickhorn Solingen squirrel trademark at the ricasso. The reverse ricasso is clearly marked “P.Bg.298”, and the blade spine bears a small ★ B factory mark.
The bayonet is mounted with traditional stag horn grip plates, secured by domed rivets and fitted with nickel-plated police pattern mounts, including the characteristic down-turned clamshell quillon. The pommel displays the applied police eagle grip badge in nickeled alloy.
The accompanying black leather scabbard is complete with nickel-plated mounts and stamped “S.Lg.325” to the throat. Overall length is approximately 44.5 cm, consistent with regulation police parade bayonets.
Approximate Measurements: Blade length- 33 cm, Overall length- 44.5 cm
Historical Note: Police dress bayonets were introduced following the 1936 re-organisation of the German police under Heinrich Himmler, when the various state and municipal forces were consolidated into the Ordnungspolizei. These bayonets were ceremonial sidearms, worn by uniformed Schutzpolizei officers for parade, guard, and formal duties, including wear with the “walking-out” (evening dress) uniform.
Although these bayonets have no provision for mounting to a rifle, they are correctly classified as Seitengewehre (service bayonets) rather than daggers. German uniform regulations required government officials to wear a sidearm with dress uniform, a tradition extending back over four centuries. The police dress bayonet represents a symbolic continuation of the military service bayonet, derived in form from the Seitengewehr 98, but adapted exclusively for ceremonial use.
The markings on this example are particularly informative: - “P.Bg.298” denotes issue to the Polizeischule Burg (Burg Police School), inventory number 298. - “S.Lg.325” on the scabbard identifies the Schutzpolizei district of Lüneburg, inventory number 325.
Such clearly attributed police school and district-marked examples are significantly scarcer than privately purchased or unmarked police bayonets.
Founded in the 19th century, Carl Eickhorn became one of Solingen’s most important manufacturers of edged weapons. During the Third Reich, the firm was a principal supplier of bayonets, daggers, and swords to the Wehrmacht, police, and party organisations. Eickhorn’s distinctive squirrel trademark is among the most recognisable and respected of all German makers, and their police bayonets are noted for quality of finish and faithful adherence to regulation patterns. The small ★ B mark on the blade spine is a period factory control or batch designation used internally by Carl Eickhorn. These marks are well-documented on original police and dress bayonets of the late 1930s–early 1940s and are not acceptance, unit, or inspection marks, but part of Eickhorn’s internal production system.
*Condition* The blade remains bright and reflective, showing light scattered age spotting and fine surface marks consistent with ceremonial wear and age. The Eickhorn maker’s mark and spine markings are very clear and well defined. The stag grip plates display attractive colour and grain, with normal age shrinkage and handling wear but no cracks. The police eagle grip badge remains intact with good detail. Nickel-plated fittings show honest wear, light scratching, and minor areas of plating loss, particularly to the pommel and quillon, entirely consistent with period service. The leather scabbard is structurally sound, with surface wear and age marks; the scabbard mounts retain much of their original finish, and the S.Lg.325 marking remains legible. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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