*Czech, Vz.24 Knife Bayonet Dated 1946, with Communist-Era Scabbard “TGF 1948” and P1937 Webbing Frog*
A post-Second World War Czech Vz.24 bayonet, tang-dated 1946, complete with its original steel scabbard dated 1948, and fitted with a separate Pattern 1937 webbing frog.
The bayonet is of the Czechoslovak Vz.24 pattern, with a single-fullered, spear-pointed blade and a reversed cutting edge on the same side as the muzzle ring — consistent with the Czech Army configuration rather than German wartime modifications. The crosspiece and blade are phosphate-finished, while the steel hilt furniture and pommel remain in the white. Grip scales are fitted with original wood panels.
The bayonet is marked on the tang: E3 Lion 46 — a Czechoslovak post-war acceptance mark with date, indicating manufacture in 1946. It is marked on the ricasso: CSZ 1 — denoting Brno production. The 1946 dating places this example in the immediate post-war production period (1946-1950), when Vz.24 bayonets were manufactured both for re-equipping the Czech Army and for export contracts.
The accompanying steel scabbard is of the correct Vz.24 form and finished in blue. Its frog hook is stamped “tgf E3 Lion 48”, which combines “tgf” — the factory code indicating production at Zbrojovka Brno during the early Communist era, and E3 Lion 48 — the Czechoslovak acceptance mark with date 1948. This indicates that the scabbard was manufactured (or at least re-accepted) in 1948, during the early years of Czechoslovakia’s Communist government, which adopted letter-code factory systems similar in concept to earlier German practice.
The frog is a British Pattern 1937 web bayonet frog, with the stores reference CN/0997 on the reverse along with a broad arrow. It is the later simplified pattern with a single scabbard loop and woven buttonhole, designed for use with No. 4 and No. 5 bayonet scabbards. This was the final bayonet frog pattern introduced for P1937 Web Equipment.
It is not uncommon to find non-native frogs paired with Vz.24 bayonets in post-war holdings, as surplus edged weapons and webbing were often intermixed in ordnance stores during reissue and redistribution.
Approx. Measurements – Blade length: 29.7 cm. Overall length: 43.3 cm.
Historical Note:
The Vz.24 bayonet was originally adopted by Czechoslovakia in the 1920s to accompany the 8 mm Mauser vz.24 rifle, itself an improved derivative of the German Mauser Model 1898. The pattern became one of Czechoslovakia’s most widely produced and exported edged weapons, finding service worldwide throughout the inter-war period.
During the Second World War, many Vz.24 rifles and bayonets were captured by German forces and reissued. After 1945, production resumed under the re-established Czechoslovak government, continuing through the introduction of the Communist regime in 1948 and into the early 1950s. Post-war production often used a mix of Army and export specifications, and examples are known with both domestic and export characteristics.
The 1946 blade dating on this example places it in the early post-war production period, while the 1948 scabbard marking confirms continued manufacture and acceptance into Czech service during the Communist era. The pairing with a P1937 web frog reflects later reissue practices rather than original Czech bayonet equipment.
*Condition*
The bayonet is in honest service condition with light surface wear and scattered staining consistent with age; no active corrosion. Phosphate finish remains largely intact on the blade and crosspiece; hilt and pommel show acceptable handling marks. Locking mechanism functions correctly. The scabbard retains much of its original blue finish with wear commensurate with age. The webbing frog is structurally sound, showing typical service wear. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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