Czechoslovakian ‘M1924’ Short Bayonet and Scabbard. BAYO 2617. Bayonets

This bayonet is a single fullered spear pointed knife blade with reversed cutting edge (on the same side as the muzzle ring), steel hilt with muzzle ring and protruding rivets, wood scale grips attached by two screws, steel beaked pommel with locking button. Steel scabbard with frog hook and ball finial. The blade is stamped on one side at the ricasso with ‘ČSZ’ over ‘D’. ČSZ stands for Československá Zbrojovka, the state arms factory in Brno. The scabbard frog hook is stamped with ‘ČSZ’ and a three-part stamp ‘E’, followed by a lion emblem, followed by ‘46’, indicating the year of manufacture was 1946. There are no German markings or modifications, suggesting this bayonet has not been reworked during WW2. The M1924 was the first bayonet adopted by Czechoslovakia after its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. It fits the vz. 24 rifle, which was a derivative of the M1898 Mauser rifle which was chambered in multiple calibres depending on customer demand. These rifles and their bayonets were widely exported, notably to South American countries: Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala, El Salvador, Brazil, Peru, Nicaragua and Ecuador were all users, and it was found on both sides of South American conflicts of the 1920s and ‘30s such as the Chaco War and Ecuadorian–Peruvian War. During the Spanish Civil War Catalan Republican forces were supplied with vz. 24s purchased by the Soviets. Chinese Nationalist forces purchased 195,000 over the course of a decade (1927-1937), used during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. Iran placed multiple orders and also produced a version under license. Large numbers were captured from Czech arsenals after the fall of the Czech Republic in 1939 and reissued to German forces under the designation Gewehr 24(t) - the Czech factories continued to produce these rifles under occupation, with modifications to match German standards. Nearly 500,000 vz. 24s were also ordered by Romania during the occupation. The blade appears to have been re sharpened. The grips and scabbard are in very good condition, only showing minor age related signs of wear. Blade length is 30 cm (43 cm overall. See White & Watts page 52/54 item No 127. The price includes UK delivery. BAYO 2617.