question on bayonet --- cof 43

[mgbob]

question on bayonet --- cof 43 PHOTOS ATTACHED

My bayonet is marked cof 43 on the ricasso & at the mouth of the scabbard.
Internet photos of other cof 43 bayonets show numbers (4 digits) on the flip-side of both the ricasso & the scabbard.
My bayonet does NOT have any numbers at those places.
Careful examination with a lens does not indicate that the numbers have been scrubbed. I'm pretty sure my bayonet & scabbard never had numbers at those locations.
Is this common? Is this rare? Does this effect the value?

Gentlemen............photos attached for your comments

 

[AndyB]

we should see any photos of the piece, could be a replacement Wffm piece, with no serial, or diverted a army accepted production(cof/43) to a Behoerden contract.Its WaA519 proofed on pommel? b.r.Andy

 

[mgbob]

we should see any photos of the piece, could be a replacement Wffm piece, with no serial, or diverted a army accepted production(cof/43) to a Behoerden contract.Its WaA519 proofed on pommel? b.r.Andy

Andy, Sorry...Can't do pictures.
no WaA519 on pommel. I spent LOTS of time looking for other markings. nothing else to see.

 

[Slash]

Andy, Sorry...Can't do pictures.
no WaA519 on pommel. I spent LOTS of time looking for other markings. nothing else to see.

Without photos we can't really help. As Andrej stated, it could be without serial number/letter block and WaA but this would be highly unusual. cof43 pieces that have had various markings removed; either scrubbed or ground away are fairly common. In some case the work was accomplished very precisely and nearly undetectable. On other pieces quite easy to observe.

 

[mgbob]

Without photos we can't really help. As Andrej stated, it could be without serial number/letter block and WaA but this would be highly unusual. cof43 pieces that have had various markings removed; either scrubbed or ground away are fairly common. In some case the work was accomplished very precisely and nearly undetectable. On other pieces quite easy to observe.

OK I will try to get my friend to help w/photos. (Could take several days)

 

[pwcosol]

I also have a oddball cof43 I bought back in the 1980s. It has the code | date stamped in the usual places on both bayonet and scabbard, but devoid of any serial numbers on either. There is only one WaA acceptance on the pommel and one on the scabbard finial ball. The blued finish to the bayonet is a plum-color. Grips are the earlier dark brown phenolic with grip screw-bolts being gray phosphate. The catch lever is "in the white" and is either a blank or from another model, as it appears finish-machined but sticks out like that seen on a Vz24 bayonet. Finish to the scabbard is a dark, matte-blue. Overall, the bayonet looks like it was never issued. This could be a late factory, parts bayonet or one assembled from armorer parts elsewhere. However, those phosphate grip screws make me think it could be the former...

 

[AndyB]

Yes it could be similar piece as presented by PWCo, anyway the locking nut is probably of Vz.24 bayonet.b.r.Andy
To the new pictures it looks like not serialed or accepted piece, possible diverted to Behoerden sales. Looks ok to me with wood grips for 1943.

 

[trinxet]

Mine

I also have a oddball cof43 I bought back in the 1980s. It has the code | date stamped in the usual places on both bayonet and scabbard, but devoid of any serial numbers on either. There is only one WaA acceptance on the pommel and one on the scabbard finial ball. The blued finish to the bayonet is a plum-color. Grips are the earlier dark brown phenolic with grip screw-bolts being gray phosphate. The catch lever is "in the white" and is either a blank or from another model, as it appears finish-machined but sticks out like that seen on a Vz24 bayonet. Finish to the scabbard is a dark, matte-blue. Overall, the bayonet looks like it was never issued. This could be a late factory, parts bayonet or one assembled from armorer parts elsewhere. However, those phosphate grip screws make me think it could be the former...

In bad shape, but its like yours, possibily and bad lot?

 

[AndyB]

Interesting as this piece was proofed, possible minimal one time on pommel, on slot and ball finial.b.r.Andy

 

[pwcosol]

Well, here is another thought. Sometime in 1943-44 the Eickhorn behoerden bayonets were produced. Around the same time a similar bayonet was also made by Horster. To my knowledge, no bayonets attributed to Horster have surfaced with evidence of their code. However, several Eickhorn ones have, with traces of the code "cof" still visible. Have not heard of one with traces of a date though. Could it be these oddball, "cof 43" pieces were the fore-runners of the behoerden, "blanko" contact bayonets or possibly left-overs from it? I realize they are WaA accepted and code/dated, but perhaps this was only a small number of the first ones made or remaining stock which got accepted and passed onto the army, when the behoerden delivery was completed.

 

[AndyB]

Possible here are two different period cof43 unserialed, on F. piece is too one WaA519, same as possible on Tx. piece, so both brown plastic grips, would be probably tend to earlier or middle 1943 production, non fully accepted as the second WaA519 is missing, so probably realised only in white, for this speaks the Vz.24 locking nut and on Tx piece a serialed piece to other piece probably, as a$$.number 1280 is not on tang there. F.is there any WaA proof on ball finial?
The first wood gripped piece looks like done as Behoerden piece late 1943/early 44 teoretically,as other similar pieces wout maker are known, and no WaA proofs are reported here. b.r.Andy

 

[Slash]

Well, here is another thought. Sometime in 1943-44 the Eickhorn behoerden bayonets were produced. Around the same time a similar bayonet was also made by Horster. To my knowledge, no bayonets attributed to Horster have surfaced with evidence of their code. However, several Eickhorn ones have, with traces of the code "cof" still visible. Have not heard of one with traces of a date though. Could it be these oddball, "cof 43" pieces were the fore-runners of the behoerden, "blanko" contact bayonets or possibly left-overs from it? I realize they are WaA accepted and code/dated, but perhaps this was only a small number of the first ones made or remaining stock which got accepted and passed onto the army, when the behoerden delivery was completed.

I own a number of these scrubbed cof43 pieces. There is quite a bit of variance in how effectively the markings were removed. On more than one example the 43 date is visible below the cof code. Also have pieces with partially visible single WaA on the pommel and/or the scabbard finial. Two examples also have serial number letter blocks that can be discerned; one in the t block and another in the q. Since Eickhorn's production went into the aa block during 1943 it would suggest that these bayonets were culled for whatever reasons from the standard production series.

 

[pwcosol]

Thanks Andy & Slash for your thoughts. Great to know a '43 date is associated w/the Behoerden Eickhorn contract. My guess is the Horster bayonets were made around the same time as well.