SS RZM Bayonet for opinion

[Uhu]

Gentlemen,

I need your opinions regarding this item.
My friend sells this SS bayonet, bought it, as the original analogue was published in the book of T.Wittman. I do not like the stamp of the manufacturer, please help to determine the authenticity.


Many thanks.

[Uhu]

2

[Uhu]

3

[Uhu]

The stamp of the manufacturer looks etched, not stamped.

[Billy G]

One thing I see that would always give me pause is glue/epoxy residue on the top grip plate, both obverse & reverse.

[Frogprince]

While TW's book has a lot of good information in it there is also some bad information and fakes. I don't have an exact date, but circa 1960's/1970's a batch of these (and maybe some later) were created using recycled period dress bayonets and sometimes you can see old pitting underneath the blade's new plating. Expressly made for the collectors market, I've actually seen the same marking on some postwar sword blades and that's just as a starter of the problems. FP

[Ron Weinand]

I don't like the RZM mark and, if original, it would be a 1935 production piece and the hilt looks like a mid war piece, not a mid 1930s. Also this type of bayonet would not fall in RZM control IMO

[AndyB]

Similar opinion, the blade looks like have a etched marking, RZM is not proper, the locking nut looks has a rust areas ? so is not a proper there in pommel, same as the area of pommel had removed finish but the locking nut not? its deeper positioned as the surface of pommel? similar opinion about grips looks like not well mounted in grip. Same as the blade when real 1935, i would not pair with this later handle.
The Richard Kuchta is well known SS collector, but there is a old discussion on German Dagger forum, where some of the pieces mainly KS98 were declared clearly as postwar repros. The knot could be Waffen SS, b.r.Andy

[Ron Weinand]

When I wrote my bayonet book I had the opportunity to include this marked bayonet, but opted out as I didn't believe it was original at that time

[Frogprince]

When I wrote my bayonet book I had the opportunity to include this marked bayonet, but opted out as I didn't believe it was original at that time

A good call, if memory serves me correctly George Wheeler in his excellent German bayonet book also declined to include one. Two good examples were there was no "authentication by publication" very likely saving collectors a lot of money. FP