Estate-fresh combat bayonet, AK frog and custom knotwork - input please

[Spencer PK]

Picked this up the other day, I'd love your input on it.

Appears to be an all-original wartime combat setup. All the ages match - wear, patina, condition etc. It is mismatched. Bayonet is CRS 43 / 1479a. Scabbard is JWH / 1653d. Blade bluing is a plum / black / brown color. Even patina over scabbard and blade.

[flatlander]

The knot work is most likely a post war GI added enhancement. The money is in the frog, shame the rig isn't matching but many are mismatched.

[AndyB]

Both parts looks untouched, sorry about the missmatch, the scabbard is probably jwh 42, also Waffenfabrik Chatellerault. The frog looks very nice. the knot is nice but certainly not german service.

[Spencer PK]

Both parts looks untouched, sorry about the missmatch, the scabbard is probably jwh 42, also Waffenfabrik Chatellerault. The frog looks very nice. the knot is nice but certainly not german service.

Yes, it's JWH 42. I agree about the knot, and other input I've gotten about it all says the same thing - a post-capture addition. It's nothing I've seen on an original piece, and it is somewhat cleaner and newer-looking than the rest of it. The blade and scabbard etc all seem to match each other in condition, and I'd suspect they've been together since the war. Overall it's a nice piece of history and I'll keep it as it is.

[Milton]

Good call on keeping it as-is...the woven cord around the scabbard is reminiscent of some of the type of work I’ve seen done by naval vets, especially on Pacific war captured Japanese bayonets. I have had a few Japanese type 30 bayonets that had the ENTIRE sheaths “entombed” within decorative cord wrappings. Perhaps this was done by a navy vet who acquired this piece while serving in the Med...Neat item, with a great patina!