Back maybe 10 years ago I only had eyes for daggers. Every once in a while the colorful Feuerwehr bayonet knot would catch my eye as it really stood out but the bayonets did nothing for me. Guess one day I thought "maybe I'll get just one nicely conditioned piece to fill the niche.".
Yeah right, was that ever short sighted. So it was that I found this piece on Eban, seemingly perfect long model bayonet with nicely conditioned frog & well toned knot. The seller wanted something like $200 on a buy it now which was a lot in those days since I probably could have had a nice Heer dagger for $300. So I pull the trigger & the piece arrives a few days later.
My beginning in fire bayonets started where many German edged weapons collectors start, with the ubiquitous mark of Carl Eickhorn. I was soon to learn the significance & timing of maker marks but this is how I saw my first Feuerwehr piece. I was amazed at the plated blade & how utterly perfect it was, save for a few runner marks. The grip plates were similarly perfect & fitted just flush to the hilt. The curious crossguard caught my attention but then, that one of the main features that distinguished it from the standard Heer/Luftwaffe KS98. I read somewhere that the recurved crossguard was fashioned after the hooks that adorned the duty belts of the firemen of yore.
I picked up the piece many times that week & loved that even though it was 50+ years old at the time, it still looked like it could have been made last week.
