By calibrex As bayonets seem to be carrying the day Secondly it's a two makers job. On the left side is the crossed keys of F. Mulhausen in Thr. Prussian Inspection mark for is on the back of the blade. Why the scratching on the blade - well it's not a standard issue scabbard for this bayonet but one for the Ks 98 which is a little tighter.
It has a fraktur mark on the frog stud and a number '' on the reverse. I can conceive that an Officer or S. Certainly both bayonet and scabbard are in similar condition. So perhaps not so common. I agree, your bayonet is not so common. Although I may have missed it I can find no reference in Carter Vol. That's interesting I appear to have an exact "twin" for it.! I did post this one earlier in the year, but here it is again for a comparison. It is indeed a nice and rare bayonet - and a pretty rare fraktur marked scabbard to go with it!
I am away from my books, but I think you are quite right that it is not listed in Carter II - but could be worth to check the 'corrections' pages in vols. III and IV.
Sohne' was the give away. The Herder's were renowned blade-makers - razors especially. Walter and Co. Yes SNAP indeed.! Note also both scabbards look to be identical.
My possible explanation for the 'linear striations' on the blade is "wartime manufacturing" So perhaps done in a more hurried environment, with less emphasis placed on the final polishing, leaving these near-mint blades with these strange markings.? If you get set of engineers calipers and measure the width of the mouthpiece, immediately below the reinforcement at the rear edge, then measure mm down from the edge of the mouthpiece and measure the width again.
