The marking ‘cof 44’ on this bayonet model 1884/1898 for the Mauser rifle model 1898 indicates production in 1944 at the renowned Carl Eickhorn factory in Solingen, which operated under the military code ‘cof’. This marking is characteristic of late-period German bayonets from World War II, when manufacturers used three-letter codes instead of full names for purposes of secrecy.

The blade has never been sharpened, which represents particular value to collectors. Such condition testifies to minimal combat use of the item or its storage in military arsenals. The absence of resharpening marks has preserved the original blade geometry, which significantly enhances the collectible value of this specimen.

Matching serial numbers on both the blade and scabbard confirm their original pairing from the time of manufacture. Such examples are encountered significantly more rarely due to combat losses and post-war reassembly, when bayonets and scabbards were often permanently separated. The preservation of the original matched set gives this lot special appeal to serious collectors of German edged weapons.