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#Australian Law prohibits the sale to anyone under the age of 18. #The buyer accepts full responsibility for the sale and its use. #The sale of knives and other controlled items to minors in Queensland is prohibited, penalties apply, and acceptable evidence of age may be required.

For your consideration, you are viewing an Antique piece of European Military History, this is a rare late WWI Austrian August Bickel M1895 Mannlicher Knife Bayonet with Scabbard for use on the 8 mm. M1895 Mannlicher bolt action rifle. The M1895 was the widest-used rifle and bayonet combination in WWI. They were used both before and after the wars by countries of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and post-WWI Eastern European Countries. The M1895 bayonet was the first knife bayonet to feature an inverted blade profile, where the cutting edge faces upward when fixed. The distinguishing feature of this bayonet was its edge-up design, the cutting edge faces upward when fixed to the rifle, as opposed to the normal underside-mounted bayonets, this has two raised rivets on the cross guard which holds it to the blade tang. The theory behind the inverted blade was that the adaptation was supposed to make the bayonet easier and more effective to apply an upward force when thrusting with the bayonet than to push the rifle downwards. #August Bickel Metallwarenfabrik (Metal Wares Factory) (AB): was founded in 1886 in Thuringia, Germany up until late WW1, 1917 to 1918. August Bickel, is a seldom-seen maker from Steinbach-Hallenberg in Thuringia, near Suhl and Erfurt. This metalsmithing company made many high-quality tools for export before 1914, and afterwards, their trip-hammer forge allowed them to make SA and NSKK daggers during the NSDAP period. The machine tools in the factory were captured and moved to Russia after the war ended, (GERMAN KNIFE AND SWORD MAKERS by J. Anthony Carter.) # The makers and inspection marks are:

• RICASSO: 'AB' joined/touching.  August Bickel, Thuringia, Germany - Late WWI German Bayonet manufacturer REVERSE: "Austrian Eagle"
• POMMEL: "LGK.ST over 591"
• FROG BUTTON: "Austrian Eagle"

CONDITION:

This bayonet is from circa 1917-1918 and is in overall good condition for its age and use during war. The grips are in very good condition with no missing pieces, but it is lightly damaged on either side next to the tang, on the top side, they also have some light indent marks and fit tightly to the tang, the release/lock button is in working order. The 24.5 cm blade has a worn-blued finish with a little pitting near the top of the blade point. The edge is not sharp and has no dings. The remaining metal on the cross-guards, pommel and mortise has a worn blued finish with some normal scuff wear, indents and an aged patina. The scabbard has a refurbished blackened finish and it is in very good condition with no dents and fits tightly together with the bayonet. # Please note that the photographs form part of the description; Super-sized photos are available for viewing in the eBay gallery, to show the finer details and conditions.

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