Imperial Private Purchase Bayonets

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Hi,
I am interested in finding out more about Imperial German private purchase bayonets and wonder if anyone can suggest any relevant books, articles, sites or links to this subject ?

I already have the excellent Lubbe book German Sidearms and Bayonets vol 2. and Anthony Carter’s ‘German Bayonets’ books, but surely there must be more ?

In particular I am looking for information on the WW1 KS98 style bayonets bought by officers when they were ordered to send their swords home and wear the regulation S98/05 ‘butcher’ bayonet.

It seems very few actually did wear this bayonet and instead opted to buy the non regulation KS98 bayonet and knife models offered by the Solingen cutlers.

Thanks,
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[SCHUPO]

Cooky,

My book, "Seitengewehr: History of the German Bayonet 1919-1945", covers postwar conversions of Imperial bayonets but probably is not what you are specifically looking for. Try "The German S84/98 Bayonet Volume 1: 1908-1933" by Bruce Karem as it has some nice Imperial private purchase bayonets of this model illustrated. Try also, "German Etched Dress Bayonets (Extra Seitengewehre) 1933-1945" by Wayne Techet for later versions of the private purchase KS98.

Many different private purchase versions of the S98/05 exist but I know of no book that is specific to that model of bayonet.

[Cooky]

Thanks Schupo,
I already have your most excellent book and Wayne Techet’s.

Finding a copy of Bruce Karem’s book is going to be a challenge, finding one at an affordable price an even harder challenge I think !

I have found out that the book ‘The Bayonet – An Evolution and History’ by Evans & Stephens has a chapter on dress bayonets with about 7 pages of Imperial German bayonets.

I am also waiting for Roy Williams to publish volume 3 of ‘The Collectors Book of German Bayonets’ series which promises to include a chapter on ‘Hunting, Dress & Presentation Bayonets from 1700-1945’

Anyone know when its due out?

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