This German dress or walking-out bayonet was manufactured by F.W. Höller of Solingen and was privately purchased rather than issued. The grip scales are genuine stag horn, mounted with a nickel-plated bird’s-head pommel and upswept crossguard, and the single-edged fullered blade is bright polished. The ricasso bears the circular F.W. HÖLLER SOLINGEN thermometer trademark. The bayonet is complete with its black-finished steel scabbard and a period black leather frog. The blade retains an excellent bright finish with only minor handling and scabbard wear. The hilt shows light age and finish wear, the stag grips remain intact, and the leather frog shows the age cracking and wear expected of it. This is a Third Reich period German Extra-Seitengewehr, intended for dress and walking-out wear rather than field issue, in the stag grip configuration.
F.W. Höller of Solingen was established in 1866 and specialised in blade weapons and cutlery, with a company logo built around a thermometer symbol, typically etched on its blades. The firm is recorded in the German army manufacturer code system under the codes S/175 and fze, dated 1934 to 1943, which documents it as a wartime supplier of military bayonets; those codes appear on military contract work rather than on privately purchased pieces such as this one, which instead carry the commercial trademark. Höller also produced dress bayonets in both long and short Army patterns. No further activity by the firm is recorded after the Second World War. Dress bayonets of this type were bought privately by soldiers for walking-out and parade wear and were not part of field equipment.
Specifications
Type: Dress bayonet, Extra-Seitengewehr
Service: German Army, Third Reich period
Manufacturer: F.W. Höller, Solingen
Country of origin: Germany
Purchase: Privately purchased for dress and walking-out wear
Grip: Genuine stag horn scales
Mounts: Nickel plated bird’s-head pommel and upswept crossguard
Blade: Single edged, fullered, bright polished
Markings: Circular F.W. HÖLLER SOLINGEN thermometer trademark on the ricasso
Blade condition: Excellent bright finish, minor handling and scabbard wear
Hilt condition: Light age and finish wear, stag grips intact
Scabbard: Black finished steel
Frog: Period black leather, with age cracking and wear
