UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons The BCN Bayonet Forum Mod 98 Bayonet "ab 43" w/* mark & re-stamped #'s

After the Fort Indiantown Gap Battle of the
Bulge Rememberance & reenactment I visited a
friends cousin in N.Y. who showed me among other things a rather curious Mod 98 bayonet.

It is an ab 43 7190 b, originaly -9194- no suffix, with the 7 & 0 of the restruck #'s only partialy obscuring the original 9 & 4 on the Ricasso, the 1 & 9 appear not to have been
retouched.

(Please note; NO spurious filing marks and the blade blue is original, -with the factory finish in the serial # strikes-, approximately 90% blueing with only normal runner-spring wear from the end of the fuller's grooves to the tip on both sides of the unsharpened blade. Exterior rates about 90% with high edge wear and fading)
The matching Scabbard,ab 43 on reverse,
serial #'ed 7190 b on obverse was only numbered once W/ no restrikes, is 313WaA'ed
on the finials reverse.
Between two 313WaA's on the pommels reverse there is set a starburst in the form of an
8 diamond shaped petaled flower with a small inner circle center, the petals pointed in the primary compass directions & their midpoints, I.E.; N,S,E,W,Ne,Se,Sw,&Nw.
The Bayonet is 313WaA'ed on the spine of the handle in the space between bayonet lug slot
and the flashguard, twice on the pommels reverse as previously noted, and on the bottom of the crosspiece.
Grips are still a nice even reddish brown,
and the Frog is marked RBNr.0/0633/0041,
latewar, dismounted, and in ex ++, matching the light wear to the bayonet exterior.

My interest is to find out the significance of the starburst//flower marking ?,
and if other know factory reworked examples
are commonly known with re-struck numbers ?
Is the maker "ab", Mundlos, known for this
reworking & the "*" marking ?

My thanks for any feedback on my Query !

We have samples of other Mundlos or S/244 stamped pieces with star markings, probably a preproof mark. Fotos could help,best regards,Andy

Thanks Andy;
My friends cousin lives near Newbergh N.Y.,
I'm down in Chapel Hill N.C., so I can't just zip over and get some pic's!
If I buy it I will get pictures of what I've given a description of and post w/ a followup.
Has'nt anyone seen this "eight diamond shaped petaled blossom with a circle center" marking
before ????
Frank

Here is a picture of one of our BCN member. best regards,Andy