Austrian 1895

AUSTRIAN 1895 Bayonets and Variations.

last update 20 -9-2003

On this page I have outlined the various Austrian 1895 Mannlicher pattern bayonets available to the collector and have used my own collection and photographs from other collectors to illustrate the variations. The information below has been gleaned from books and discussions held various forums on the internet

The 1895 Mannlicher was the largest used bayonet in WWI and was used both before and after the war by countries of the Austro Hungarian empire and the post WWI Eastern European countries. The main distinguishing feature of the bayonet was its edge up design, which place the sharp edge of the blade on the top of the mounted blade, as opposed to the more normal underside, and the two raised rivets on the cross guard which held this to the blade tang.

There are several types of 1895 available

Conversion - Many 1895's were made using the blade from the 1888 fitted to the 1895 hilt, it is thought that this may be a WWI conversion to increase production of blades for the 1895

Normal - No quillion

Normal (NCO) - Quillion and a hole in the pommel to take a pommel ring, these made be found with the quillion removed.

Cavalry/Carbine - Added Sight on the top of the muzzle ring, These can be found with both fixed and adjustable sights

Cavalry/Carbine (NCO) - Added sight, plus quillion and pommel ring

Dress - No pommel slot or Vestigial only

The most commonly found examples will be marked OE over WG, or FGGY, the former are made in Austria the latter in Hungary, which pre WWI were combined to form the Austro Hungarian empire. There are however several other makers and markings that can be found:-

Ernst Busch - Made during WWI for German troops these blades typically have a W over 17 spine marking, although production supposedly carried on into 1918. These blades often lead an interesting life being reworked post war and supplied to Greece for their use. These blades will typically have a serial number applied to them. Unaltered German ones are scarce.

ARS ARM - one of the earliest makers of the blade, there are two variations to their mark, one normal upright characters the other is in an Italic script. The Upright script are the earlier made and are of much poorer quality than the italicised or OEWG made ones

MO - Moravske Ocelarny - Moravian Steelworks

Zeitler - Zeitler got a contract for M95 bayos, many were NCO or dress only , walking out versions, the logo were Crossed hammers or crossed hammers and sabres, or Zeitler Wien VIII, or full address. Many thanks to Andy for supplying this information and that on the Ying and Yang mark below.

Ying and Yang mark is actually the mark for (ZP in circle for) Zbrojovka Praga - located to Prague,Vrsovice, they reworked blades in the period 1920 to 21 using bayonets from other companies, Czech maker

HWF - Uprights of the H and F form the outer legs of the W, this is possibly "Wiener Heeres fabrik"

BFM - seen on Czech marked 1895's - Maker identified as the Austrian firm Berndorfer Maschinen Fabrik by Andy of the BCN

stf - Thought to be the early Steyr marking

AB - Unknown

CRS - found on Czech examples, may be a property rather than a makers mark, although it could be early blades made what became the CRZ factory.

CSZ Czechoslovak manufactured

W - A capital outlined W marking, unknown maker, made both normal and NCO models, there is also a small capital W marking found on the reverse ricasso to OEWG which I assume is the same company reworking blades, as my example is on a chrome plated NCO model

Unmarked - examples can be found without any makers marks at all

GET - property of Cetnictvo - Gendarmery of CSR (Identified by Andy of BCN)

Circled A Unknown mark found on FGGY made examples

ZB - Polish made

CET - Czech police mark

CZECHOSLOVAKIA
	CET Marked 1895 courtesy Gerard Adam
	"Austrian" 1895 made by CSZ Scabbard is an MO made one CSZ ricasso marking, this is the makers mark and not the Czech acceptance marking Is this mark the legs of the Czech Lion?
	BFM marked 1895 BFM mark and S lion 1 acceptance mark Not sure if this is the remains of a mark or random pitting GET property of Cetnictvo - Gendarmery of CSR very low weapon number (identified by Andy of BCN)
	Austrian 1895 made by MO and used by Czechoslovakia MO makers mark on right ricasso S lion 9 mark on left Ricasso, indicates Czech usage and acceptance at Bratislava
	1895 with OEWG and Yin and Yang ricasso mark Yin and Yang ricasso marking Austrian OEWG marks on opposite ricasso Czech acceptance marks on pommel
	Austrian 1895 with Czech markings
	Austrian 1895 made by CSZ Scabbard is an MO made one CSZ ricasso marking, this is the makers mark and not the Czech acceptance marking Is this mark the legs of the Czech Lion? Frog is Czech marked B lion M I am assuming this is a unit marking, any details appreciated
	Austrian 1895 NCO model Issued to Czech unit, quillion has been removed Pommel Marking shows 3 Cavalry issue (3J) pre 1936 Original Austrian makers mark Added Czech marking on opposite ricasso of S Lion 8 for an Oppava based infantry unit

AUSTRIA
	AE marked 1895 scabbard
	M1895 unmarked as an export piece 40 mark on crossguard is the only marking on the blade
	ARS ARM made, very rough quality compared to later Italicised ARS ARM made versions and later OEWG made models Early straight pattern ARS ARM markings
	1895 ARS ARM made (italicised marking) Italicised ARS ARM markings 1895 which are a later model than the straight markings version above, these have a better finish than the earlier version.
	1895 converted for German use by removing the muzzle ring Manufacturing marking stf is thought to be Steyr Scabbard has OEWG markings
	1895 Mannlicher OEWG made
	M1895 made in Hungary FGGY markings on Hungarian made 1895
	1895 With Zeitler markings 1895 Zeitler Vien VIII ricasso marking 1895 crossed swords and Hammers are also Zeitler markings Scabbard has MO makers mark Grips have counter sunk rivet grips
	Private made 1895, with private purchase frog. maker uses crossed swords logo. Blade is nickel plated Crossed swords maker mark on Ricasso
	Dress 1895 no markings on blade Has dummy press stud, there is no locking mechanism in the pommel Press stud is brazed on
	Dress 1895 Hilt has WE ? under a crown brass insert OEWG made
	1895 with Crowned F badge fixed to grips Crossed swords maker mark, is just visible on the ricasso Vestigial slot in pommel would make it impossible to mount on rifle Close up of the hilt badge fixed to the hilt
	1895 by unknown maker Acceptance mark Unknown W makers mark - actually a composite Monogram including a P on the left side and a F on the right side of the W "Wiener Neustädter Patronen Fabrik" thanks to Melk in Austria
	1895 by HWF maker in original frog Distinctive makers mark Austrian Eagle stamp on ricasso Frog stud shows similar mark
	1895 with modified hilt. The pommel ahs been inverted as have the grips. the slot and all attachments locks etc. have been welded up, it would appear that the grips were fixed before some of the welding/grinding took place, and it is not possible to determine at what time the modifications were made]
	Dress 1895 no markings on blade Has dummy press stud, there is no locking mechanism in the pommel Press stud is brazed on
	1895 made by Ferlach, stamp is a joined O, M and C
	1895 fitted with wire cutter on scabbard possibly Portuguese Cutters bayonet and scabbard

GERMANY
	Ernst Busch made 1895 1917 dated on spine Busch makers marks
	An Austrian 1895 accepted in German service with the WaA on the pommel, the style of stamp would indicate that this is pre WWII
	1895 with removed muzzle ring, manufacturer AB. The removed ring probably indicates its use in WWII by Germany, as they typically removed muzzle rings from their bayonets AB ricasso mark

GREECE

Greek 1895 Mannlicher St George.jpg (94673 bytes)

Austrian made 1895 Mannlicher

St George and Dragon Greek stamp on pommel

Navy 1895, identical to the Austrian 1895 but with the Anchor mark on the pommel. Grips are not thought to be original but show some age from the riveting etc. they are not of the best workmanship

HUNGARY
	This circled A marking has been noted on at least two 1895's and both have been FGGY manufactured examples, it is not know if these are acceptance marks, or reworking marks but this example came out of Eastern Europe and the Argentinean link has been discounted courtesy of Andrej Blazicek
	A Hungarian made and issued 1895 with bone grips, the cross guard mark is as yet not deciphered the B crest 16 mark means acceptance into the Honved army of Hungary in 1916, the Bp stands for Budapest, the crest is the Hungarian one - Many thanks to Andy yet again
	1895 Cavalry Markings and muzzle ring site Adjustable sight on top of muzzle ring