UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons The BCN Bayonet Forum Bayonet etched. help

Please help identify etching . Good or bad? Did this producer such a bayonet?Thank you.

A general Wehrmacht pattern known to appear on Seilheimer marked blades, see Wayne Techet's book, "German Etched Dress Bayonets", page 204. The pattern is listed as common although the addition of an upgrade to stag grips would improve the overall value of the bayonet. According to the book, Seilheimer, a smaller cottage manufacturer, had a relationship with FW Holler who probably produced the etching on this blade.

It looks OK from the pictures but to be sure, can we see some closer shots of both sides of the grip plates & rivets?

All that is.

Confused by this! This is a marriage?

Arlih,

Here is the problem with looking at photographs and determining originality without a hands on examination:

This bayonet exhibits two red flags that I can see. First, is the area you identify with this etching where the edge of the template slips at the end under the eagle and swastika. Wayne shows this etching, as Billy says, but his photo does not show the edge of this etching in the way it is placed on your bayonet. You will also notice that the "bookend" edge of this etching template is incomplete below the wing of the eagle. This is also not shown in Wayne's photograph.

Second, the stag grips are of the thick, and ill fitting, type as seen on some reproductions. They give the appearance of newer stag that has had the highlights darkened. Usually, these stag grips are held with aluminum or soft metal rivets so as not to crack the staghorn. These appear to be steel rivets that are slightly countersunk on the obverse grip plates. Not imposible but a second red flag.

Reproduction Seilheimer bayonets like this have been floating around for the last 40 years and by now have some legitimate age. These factors all make this bayonet very tricky. I would not say this ia a definite fake without a hands on examination but I would not buy it for my collection.

Another easy way to spot a fake Seilheimer etch is to look at the makers mark, generally they are the PS 'martini glass' type and face the wrong way down the blade (see pic for proper direction). ALL the fake etches i have seen have had this characteristic - not to say there aren't other PS maker mark fakes out there.

To me, the comments by ORPO are the ones that turn me off the bayonet.

Paul Seilheimer bought their etches from the Holler company, and while Holler etches can be pretty sloppy, the massive sloppines pointed out by ORPO is just too much.

I would pass on this bayonet very quickly.

John

Unusual looking rivets, chunky grip plates, poor quality etch detail (even for Holler), very questionable bayonet. Orpo & John's comments are well founded, as usual. The devil is in the details, as they say.

Thank you! Again, you saved me from buying an unfortunate! Thank you all!