PSS POLICE BAYONET (Polizei-Seitengewehr Sonderausführung)
Price: Sold
DESCRIPTION: This P-SS Bayonet is in very fine condition, being one of the most impressive weapons produced during the 3rd Reich. The wrap-around pommel is fitted with a mortise and a lock which still works fine. The nickel plated pommel area is quite beautiful, with elaborate sprigs of oak leaves etched on both pommel sides. They are highlighted by backgrounds of frosted pebbling. The nickeled crossguard is done with the same oak leaf and acorn designs on both sides.
The original stag grip plates are a work of art the way they not only cover the grip area as on a standard Police Bayonet, but the upper grip portion which also wraps about the pommel bottom area is also covered by the stag – it must have taken a very large deer to be able to produced stag grips of this massive size. These plates are both in perfect condition. They are retained by aluminum rivets having dressed heads on both sides, and the grip stag is also countersunk to accommodate a neat seating of the rivet heads; some really fine work here! Pinned in the center of obverse grip is a fine, open wreath Police Insignia. An eagle with open wings is superimposed over the wreath, clutching with wreathed swastika. The insignia shows little to no wear to the surfaces.
The scabbards of these large bayonets were always done in a blue finish, which is the case here. The blue is still there at 100%, showing only minor age in the surfaces here and there. The scabbard is equipped with the original frog maker stamped and dated 1918 along with a later stamp L.Z.A. H.Halle. It is rather large, being in proportion to the scabbard size, and is constructed of heavy brown leather. Attached to the frog is an SS NCO troddel. The troddel remains in its proscribed tie and appears to have always been in place on this bayonet. The troddel shows some age to the textured aluminum brocade, but no fraying. The stem below remains perfect having the black “V” designs in the brocade. The lower ball is formed of yarn-like black and aluminum bullion cord. The stuffing below matches the troddel’s strapping.
The uncut long blade is a beauty, having perfect nickel-plated surfaces. It has a large fuller with a single edge below, and comes to a perfect tip. As stated above, the old arsenal marks remain on the blade spine; (see pic). The reverse ricasso is stamped with the makers large logo: F.KOELLER & Co SOLINGEN; A fantastic opportunity here to acquire not only a very rare bayonet, seldom offered.
BACKGROUND: These PSS Bayonets are extremely rare and always very desirable by collectors. No one seems to know for sure the exact purpose of them. Two others I’ve known of out of Prague and it’s believed that these bayonets were worn by the special SS/Police units formed by Reinhardt Heydrich in the occupied area of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. This would also account for their scarcity. The bayonets were essentially reworked from the Imperial long Model Bayonet, Model 1860/98. We know this as P-SS existing models still have the Imperial armory markings on the blade spines. The maker markings were also usually from the Imperial time and many of these companies were long out of business when these P-SS Bayonets were issued.
