Germany, Feuerschutzpolizei. A 1940 Enlisted Personnel Gaustadt Salzburg Dress Bayonet, by E. & F. Hörster

(Feuerschutzpolizei Bajonett). A well-preserved Feuerschutzpolizei (Fire Protection Police) dress bayonet, measuring 355 mm in total length when inserted into the scabbard. It features a 200 mm-long polished magnetic steel blade with a sharpened tip and lower edge. A single fuller runs approximately two-thirds of the length of each side of the blade. The obverse bears a detailed acid-etched inscription of “ZUM 25 JÄHRIGEN DIENSTJUBILÄUM DIE GAUSTADT SALZBURG 1940” (“TO THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GAUSTADT OF SALZBURG 1940”), flanked by oak leaves and acorns. Also stamped into the obverse ricasso is a maker’s mark of “E. U. F. HÖRSTER, SOLINGEN”, circumscribing the firm’s logo which poor processing has rendered faint. The blade sits securely within a one-piece nickel-plated hilt, with the seam covered by an intact brown leather buffer pad. The crossguard presents with contrasting hooked quillons in classic Feuerschutzpolizei style. Two pieces of pebbled black bakelite compose the handle grip, and are secured together with dual magnetic metal rivets. As a dress piece, the hooked pommel lacks an insertion slot. It is accompanied by its period original scabbard, constructed of a black-painted magnetic metal shaft. Emanating from the side of the shaft is a downward-pointing hook which retains a period original black leather frog. Constructed of two pieces of heavy black leather fixed in place with two magnetic metal rivets, the frog was formerly stitched into a loop for belt suspension. The throat of the scabbard retains a functional spring catch, firmly holding the bayonet in place during storage, held together by a single side rivet. A number of “815” is stamped onto the throat. Issues consistent with age and wear are evident, and include minor loss of finish to the nickel-plated features, loss of paint to the scabbard, and significant deterioration of the frog. With the exception of the latter, the bayonet remains in a near extremely fine condition.