On this page I have outlined the various Austrian 1895 Mannlicher pattern bayonets available to the collector and have used my own collection and photographs from other collectors to illustrate the variations. The information below has been gleaned from books and discussions held various forums on the internet
The 1895 Mannlicher was the largest used bayonet in WWI and was used both before and after the war by countries of the Austro Hungarian empire and the post WWI Eastern European countries. The main distinguishing feature of the bayonet was its edge up design, which place the sharp edge of the blade on the top of the mounted blade, as opposed to the more normal underside, and the two raised rivets on the cross guard which held this to the blade tang.
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Fabricants
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Std
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Cav
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Std-D
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S/O-D
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S/O-D-C1
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S/O-D-C2
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* OE-WG
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D + F
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D + F
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D + F
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* OE-WG
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D + F
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D + F
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D + F
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D + F
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D + F
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D + F
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* L.ZEITLER WIEN VIII
* Swords / Hammers
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Zeitler - |
D
G
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D
G
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D
G
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* L. ZEITLER (in cercle)
* Swords / Hammers
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D
G
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* OMC Ferlach
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OMC
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D + F
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* FG-GY
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G + F
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G + F
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G + F
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G + F
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* ZP cercled (Zbrojovka Praga)
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Ying and Yang mark is actually the mark for (ZP in circle for) Zbrojovka Praga - located to Prague,Vrsovice, they reworked blades in the period 1920 to 21 using bayonets from other companies, Czech maker |
D + F
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* ZP cercled
* OE-WG
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G
D + F
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* CSZ (higher case)
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G + F
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G + F
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* CSZ (lower case)
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G + F
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G + F
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* Ernst BUSCH (16)
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Ernst Busch - Made during WWI for German troops these blades typically have a W over 17 spine marking, although production supposedly carried on into 1918. These blades often lead an interesting life being reworked post war and supplied to Greece for their use. These blades will typically have a serial number applied to them. Unaltered German ones are scarce. |
G
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G
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* Ernst BUSCH (17)
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G
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G
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G
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* Ernst BUSCH (18)
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G
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G
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* SIMSON Co.
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D
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* WWF (Wiener Waffen Fabrik)
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D + F
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D + F
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* HWF (Heeres Waffen Fabrik)
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HWF - Uprights of the H and F form the outer legs of the W, this is possibly "Wiener Heeres fabrik"
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D
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* MO (Moravske Ocelarny)
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MO - Moravske Ocelarny - Moravian Steelworks |
D + F
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* MO (Moravske Ocelarny)
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D / G
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* Stf. (square*, triangle ! …)
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stf - the early Steyr marking |
G + F
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G chr
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G + F
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G + F
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G + F
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* Stf. + Ü (cercled) on pommel
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G + F
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G + F
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G + F
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* OE-WG + Ü (cercled) on pommel
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D + F
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* OE-WG / S lion 1 / Lion
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D + F
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* FG-GY Bp * 16 / Bp * 17
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G + F
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* FG-GY
* K (cercled) A (cercled)
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G + F
D
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G + F
D
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* CSZ + S Lion (on blade) .
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CSZ Czechoslovak manufactured |
G
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*
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* Lion 5 22 (on pommel)
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G
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* S/Lion + digits (on pommel)
* CSZ (blade)
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G
D
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* B.F.M (endroit) Berndorfer Maschinen Fab
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BFM - seen on Czech marked 1895's - Maker identified as the Austrian firm Berndorfer Maschinen Fabrik by Andy of the BCN
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G + F
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G
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G
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* B.F.M. (reversed) ‘’
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G + F
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G
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* B.F.M. (right side) ‘’
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* B.F.M. (left side) ‘’
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* Ars-Arm (1)
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One of the earliest makers of the blade, there are two variations to their mark, one normal upright characters the other is in an Italic script. The Upright script are the earlier made and are of much poorer quality than the italicised or OEWG made ones
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D
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* Ars-Arm (2)
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D
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* AT3 (VTZ) in a triangle
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G
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* AB (August BICKEL)
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AB |
G + F
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* AB (August BICKEL)
* double crest
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| *circled a |
Circled A Unknown mark found on FGGY made examples
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G |
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G |
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* AE
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F
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* BB
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* FHL
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D
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* Kr
* Zb
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ZB - Polish made |
G
D
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* Zb/Kr
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D
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* GASSER à VIENNE
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* No markings
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Unmarked - examples can be found without any makers marks at all
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X + F
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X
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X + F
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* ČRS
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CRS - found on Czech examples, may be a property rather than a makers mark, although it could be early blades made what became the CRZ factory. |
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* ČET
* OE-WG
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CET - Czech police mark
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G + F
D
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G + F
D
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* ČET
* MO
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D + F
D
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GET - property of Cetnictvo - Gendarmery of CSR (Identified by Andy of BCN)
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* No markings
* stamped with an eagle
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D + F
G
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| * W |
W - A capital outlined W marking, unknown maker, made both normal and NCO models, there is also a small capital W marking found on the reverse ricasso to OEWG which I assume is the same company reworking blades, as my example is on a chrome plated NCO model
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* 5SCH K24
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D
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Germany WWII
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* no markings
* WaA on pommel
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G + F
D
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BULGARIE
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* CA 15(
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: C (София/Sofia) and A (Арсенал/Arsenal).‘Arsenal’ is an armaments factory situated in Kazanlak, Bulgaria. It is the oldest factory in Bulgarian defensive industry and the biggest in the machinery construction sector. Arsenal is established under the name of ‘Ruse Artillery Arsenal’ in Ruse in 1878 after the withdrawal of Russian troops at the end of the Russo-Turkish War. It is based on the machines, equipment, technology, spare parts and experience of the Russian workshops which attended the army. Later on, after the Unification of Bulgaria ‘Arsenal’ is moved in Sofia and its name is changed to ‘Sofia Artillery Arsenal’. After the end of WWI the factory is moved in 1924 in Kazanlak under the name of ‘State Military Factory’. Kazanlak is situated between two mountains in a central part of Bulgaria which makes its location strategically better. Afterwards the factory receives different names and has born the name of ‘Arsenal’ since 1988. |
D + F
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| * A&K |
Mannlicher bayonet produced only by A&K (Avramov & Kovatchev)- a Bulgarian knife factory which produced bayonets in WWI under the order of Bulgarian War Ministry. After starting accomplishing the order one of the factory owners was mobilized in the war and on the first day he got killed. The other owner deemed his death as a punishment and stopped producing bayonets |
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TURQUIE
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* Modified (MR & handle)
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D + F
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GRECE
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* OE-WG (greek MR)
* G (small St-Georges)
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D + F
G
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* OE-WG (greek MR)
* G (large St-Georges)
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D + F
G
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* OE-WG (Marine)
* G
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D + F
G
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* OE-WG (austrian MR)
* G
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D + F
G
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AUSTRIA
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AE marked 1895 scabbard
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M1895 unmarked as an export piece
40 mark on crossguard is the only marking on the blade
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ARS ARM made, very rough quality compared to later Italicised ARS ARM made versions and later OEWG made models
Early straight pattern ARS ARM markings
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1895 ARS ARM made (italicised marking)
Italicised ARS ARM markings 1895 which are a later model than the straight markings version above, these have a better finish than the earlier version.
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1895 converted for German use by removing the muzzle ring
Manufacturing marking stf is thought to be Steyr
Scabbard has OEWG markings
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1895 Mannlicher OEWG made
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STF made 1895
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Variation in STF mark with extra square stamp
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M1895 made in Hungary
FGGY markings on Hungarian made 1895
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1895 With Zeitler markings
1895 Zeitler Vien VIII ricasso marking
1895 crossed swords and Hammers are also Zeitler markings
Scabbard has MO makers mark
Grips have counter sunk rivet grips
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Private made 1895, with private purchase frog. maker uses crossed swords logo. Blade is nickel plated
Crossed swords maker mark on Ricasso
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Dress 1895 no markings on blade
Has dummy press stud, there is no locking mechanism in the pommel
Press stud is brazed on
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1895 by unknown maker
Acceptance mark
Unknown W makers mark - actually a composite Monogram including a P on the left side and a F on the right side of the W "Wiener Neustädter Patronen Fabrik" thanks to Melk in Austria
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1895 by HWF maker in original frog
Distinctive makers mark
Austrian Eagle stamp on ricasso
Frog stud shows similar mark
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1895 with modified hilt. The pommel ahs been inverted as have the grips. the slot and all attachments locks etc. have been welded up, it would appear that the grips were fixed before some of the welding/grinding took place, and it is not possible to determine at what time the modifications were made]
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Dress 1895 no markings on blade
Has dummy press stud, there is no locking mechanism in the pommel
Press stud is brazed on
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1895 made by Ferlach, stamp is a joined O, M and C
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1895 with Circle A ricasso mark |
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1895 fitted with wire cutter on scabbard possibly Portuguese
Cutters bayonet and scabbard
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BULGARIA
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Mannlicher bayonet produced only by A&K (Avramov & Kovatchev)- a Bulgarian knife factory which produced bayonets in WWI under the order of Bulgarian War Ministry. After starting accomplishing the order one of the factory owners was mobilized in the war and on the first day he got killed. The other owner deemed his death as a punishment and stopped producing bayonets. Very rare item
with thanks to Nedko Nedev for this identification, information and picture
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Bulgarian rework by the Sophia arsenal in 1915
The initials mean: C (София/Sofia) and A (Арсенал/Arsenal).‘Arsenal’ is an armaments factory situated in Kazanlak, Bulgaria. It is the oldest factory in Bulgarian defensive industry and the biggest in the machinery construction sector. Arsenal is established under the name of ‘Ruse Artillery Arsenal’ in Ruse in 1878 after the withdrawal of Russian troops at the end of the Russo-Turkish War. It is based on the machines, equipment, technology, spare parts and experience of the Russian workshops which attended the army. Later on, after the Unification of Bulgaria ‘Arsenal’ is moved in Sofia and its name is changed to ‘Sofia Artillery Arsenal’. After the end of WWI the factory moved in 1924 to Kazanlak under the name of ‘State Military Factory’. Kazanlak it is situated between two mountains in a central part of Bulgaria which makes its location strategically better. Afterwards the factory received different names and has borne the name of ‘Arsenal’ since 1988.
with thanks to Nedko Nedev and Gerard Adams for this identification and information
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1895 with Crowned F badge fixed to grips
Crossed swords maker mark, is just visible on the ricasso
Vestigial slot in pommel would make it impossible to mount on rifle
Close up of the hilt badge fixed to the hilt
so called ‘Klementinets’, which is a ceremonial bayonet worn by military men in 9th Plovdiv Infantry Regiment of Her Highness princess Klementina from Bulgaria.
with thanks to Nedko Nedev for this identification
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Klementinets’, which is a ceremonial bayonet worn by military men in 9th Plovdiv Infantry Regiment of Her Highness princess Klementina from Bulgaria. This is the more normal version with a brass pommel and crossguard
with thanks to Nedko Nedev
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Austrian 1895, the leather covered scabbard is reputedly Bulgarian, The Frog is a rare German WWI frog for the Austrian 1895. Note bone grips rather than the normal wood ones |
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1895 cavalry
1895 made by Hungary
Rumanian mark
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1895 Mannlicher NCO
Ricasso stamp on 1895, showing both Austro Hungarian and Bulgarian stamps (l-r)
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CZECHOSLOVAKIA
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CET Marked 1895
courtesy Gerard Adam
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"Austrian" 1895 made by CSZ
Scabbard is an MO made one
CSZ ricasso marking, this is the makers mark and not the Czech acceptance marking
Is this mark the legs of the Czech Lion?
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BFM marked 1895
BFM mark and S lion 1 acceptance mark
Not sure if this is the remains of a mark or random pitting
GET property of Cetnictvo - Gendarmery of CSR very low weapon number (identified by Andy of BCN)
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Austrian 1895 made by MO and used by Czechoslovakia
MO makers mark on right ricasso
S lion 9 mark on left Ricasso, indicates Czech usage and acceptance at Bratislava
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1895 with OEWG and Yin and Yang ricasso mark
Yin and Yang ricasso marking
Austrian OEWG marks on opposite ricasso
Czech acceptance marks on pommel
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Austrian 1895 with Czech markings
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Austrian 1895 made by CSZ
Scabbard is an MO made one
CSZ ricasso marking, this is the makers mark and not the Czech acceptance marking
Is this mark the legs of the Czech Lion?
Frog is Czech marked B lion M
I am assuming this is a unit marking, any details appreciated
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Austrian 1895 NCO model Issued to Czech unit, quillion has been removed
Pommel Marking shows 3 Cavalry issue (3J) pre 1936
Original Austrian makers mark
Added Czech marking on opposite ricasso of S Lion 8 for an Oppava based infantry unit
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