Prussian / Austrian side arm Help with I.D please.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Very interesting sidearm. Unfortunately, I'm clueless. I was going to suggest a German butcher-blade bayonet/sword hilt 'marriage', but as you stated, but specs aren't right for the butcher blade (which is a good thing, because this must be an original and come like this). In any case, I look forward to what the experts in this area will have to say. From the general styling, I'm assuming a dating of early 20th/WWI era, perhaps?

Kudos Mark, for at least offering a response on this anomaly even if, like me, you are a bit baffled by this unusual piece. Its always encouraging when even if we dont really have the answers, we at least show the courtesy of interest to someone who has taken the effort to post something, and offered whatever information they have on the item. Well done Manokent

I think I am with you guys on thinking of the butcher bayonet, and the shape on this blade reminds me a lot of the sawtooth Schmidt & Rubin bayonets (if I recall correctly). In any case, the sabre hilt complete with barred guard of semi basket form is of course atypical for a bayonet. I agree also that this seems to be a hybrid type of 'trench knife' from post WWI. It seems there was instance of refabricating sword hilts with shorter blades for this kind of use in those times near the time of WWII. I know that many of the surplus 'Patton' army swords M1913 sometime around then were cut down to these kind of knives presumably for trench type warfare. It seemed odd to see these huge sheet steel bowl guards on these completely incongruent cut down blades.
While not much help Im afraid, I just wanted to add those observations.

All the best,
Jim