I've been going through my father's trunks and came across this WWI German "Crank Handle" bayonet. I understand that these have been heavily faked. I have no idea if this is real or not, but I can say with relative certainty that this has been locked in a trunk for 40 years. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
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Is there a mark on the spine of the blade near the guard?Comment
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YesComment
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This is a well known fake! The DEMAG is even on the wrong side :-)
Here is an original and a fake (Kopia)Comment
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The excellent book German Combat Knives by Christian Mery mentions that he has not yet encountered a fake EB1 that has the cypher on the blade spine, so that's good news and vary scary if indeed this is a fake. Demag had at least 3 maker mark variations and these knives were massed produced so mistakes did happen. Anything German is not etched in stone.Comment
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Tom's looks like a good one. If it's "fake", it's better made than the "original". It could also be that they continued to make them for commercial or police use after WWI. I doubt it's "fake"; who would take the time to manufacture such a nicely made and inexpensive tool like this?Originally posted by Pas de croix View PostComment
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Originally posted by fsee View Post
Thank you. I appreciate your opinion.
I have had TWO people privately comment to me that they were indeed wrong about their initial assessment that this was fake - and said they both said they now believe it to be real.
The fact that this was locked in a trunk for 4 decades means it would have had to have been reproduced at a time when real bayonets were selling for $20 each. (It would have cost more to reproduce then they could have sold it for).
As with K98 bayonets, there were more than one maker and even makers changed their stamps over times.
Regardless - the damage was done.Comment
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