This had been in my family’s possession since WW2 when a relative brought it back to the states. The relative never talked about were he got it (traded for something, off a dead body, etc) and I would love to know what our WW2 tech experts can tell me about it.
Here are three inlaid Iron Crosses. The first, all black one, has something I can’t make out on the top, a capital W in the middle and a date, either 1914 or 1917 in the middle. The second is a cross with a wreath and crossed swords, it’s gold and has the dates 1914-1918. And the third is a wreath, cross on top and a swastika on top of that. So this guy might have been active in WW1. https://www.flickr.com/photos/99746822@N03/22623923704/in/dateposted/
Well, it’s a standard World War 2 era Short Dress Bayonet. My guess would be that it belonged to an officer who saw combat in WW1 and picked up an Iron Cross or two.
Blades of this type were privately purchased by individuals as part of their ‘walking out’ dress - bayonets being part of one’s uniform. The market tends not to value them as highly as government-issue ones. They are fairly common as bring-back souvenirs.
