1941 World War II German Mauser/K98 S84/98 III Bayonet With Scabbard and Sheath.

Marked "41 ASW" on one side of the ricasso with serial number "7341" and a cursive k on the other side. The numbers and symbols at the edge of the pommel near the mortise are badly corroded and illegible. The frog stud on the accompanying leather sheath is intact, with the number "16386" stamped into the top mount of the metal scabbard. These were likely not originally paired together but done so by whoever first brought them to the United States, as most German military pieces taken during WWII were not purchased souvenirs but "spoils of war" won in direct combat. 

Condition: Commensurate with age. Heavy rust throughout, but the steel blade is in great shape. 

Size: 16 1/2 x 2 x 1 1/2 in. 

The S84/98 III was the last produced standard German bayonet for the Karabiner 98k rifle. It originated from a variant of the 1871/1884 bayonet, the first-ever standard issue knife bayonet for any army which was adopted in the German Empire for use with the 1871/1884 rifle, and originally called the S84/98. That rifle was a modification of the Mauser Model 1871, and made it the first repeating rifle of the German armed forces, although it was quickly replaced by the Gewehr 1888 which used smokeless powder. Although it was briefly replaced by the 1898/05 bayonet, during World War I the S84/98 began to be produced again under the designation S84/98 II. This was partially due to a need to accommodate older weapons to make up deficits in armaments for troops, as well as fundamental issues with the newer bayonets on the battlefield. During the late Weimar period and the beginning of the Third Reich the S84/98 III was created, both to make a unified standard that all German troops would be issued and as an attempt to craft the perfect bayonet. Most production was done by facilities in the Solingen area of Germany, with some additional contracts given to Jos, Corts, Adler AG, Dürkopp, Mundlos AG, Jetter & Scherrer, Aesculap Werke, and Tuttlingen. The weapon became particularly feared by Allied troops during hand-to-hand combat on D-Day and in the following skirmishes of the liberation of France and Germany, and today is considered one of the most sought-after pieces of World War II memorabilia by avid collectors.

Commensurate with age. Heavy rust throughout, but the steel blade is in great shape. 

All items are sold AS IS. Lot and condition details are for descriptive purposes only. Sarasota Estate Auction is not responsible for errors and/or omissions of condition. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is perfect or free from wear, flaws, or characteristics of age. Please bid according to your own expertise, or request any additional information and/or photographs you deem necessary.