Militaria Price Guide
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HOW CAN I PAY FOR MY ORDER?
You will receive an e-mail confirming your successful bids the day after the auction has ended. In your personal my ratisbon's you will be able to inform us about your most convenient payment method for this order or tell us about an alternative shipping address.
If we don’t hear from you within 24 hours, we will send an invoice choosing the payment and shipping options which we think are the most comfortable ones to you. If you decide to change your shipping or payment method after receiving your invoice, just drop us a line or visit my ratisbon's/ORDERS for any more details.
Choose your payment method when ordering and submit your order. Once your order has been received we will send an invoice including your shipping costs and your payment instructions.
After receiving the invoice, the order must be paid within 7 days.
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HOW DO YOU SHIP MY NEW TREASURES?
We usually send out orders within 1-3 working days after your payment has been received. In most cases, we are faster than this! We will inform you when your goods are being dispatched and provide a tracking number, In addition, you can always check your order status at my ratisbon's/ORDERS. Delivery times will vary depending upon the delivery destination and type of shipping service you have chosen.
If you prefer to have your order shipped to your work address or a friend during your absence, we will happy to arrange this for you. Send us an email letting us know about your new shipping address and we will be happy to send an updated invoice to you.
OUR GUARANTEE!
We only offer collectables which to the best of our specialists knowledge are authentic. About 15% of all consignments are returned to the consignor after extensive research due to authenticity issues.
Unlike traditional auction houses we do offer a full right of return. If you are not satisfied with what you won or bought, you may return it within 14 days. Please inform us and we will instruct you on how to return the goods. For more information, please visit FAQ pages.
Important note: Cancelling bids after an auction may disappoint the consignor, who like you is a collector. This situation is easy to avoid. We encourage you not to bid on any collectable if you are unsure if it fits into your collection. Ask us to cancel your bid 24 hours prior to the end of an auction to avoid this situation.
The trench knife was a weapon with generations of tradition in the German military. After WWI, many German edged weapon manufacturers in Solingen and elsewhere continued to make fighting knives, and various types were available as private purchase items to soldiers in WWII. The private purchase type trench knives often had commercial type maker marks and were usually equipped with metal scabbards that had either a metal clip or, less commonly, leather fittings for wear on a belt. It was not long before trench knives in the traditional style were manufactured for military issue by the various branches of the Wehrmacht. Luftwaffe issue fighting knives can sometimes be identified by the use of branch-specific inspection stamps, while in the German Army, the knife got the designation “Infanteriemesser 42” (Infantry Knife 1942). Between the private purchase and issue types, there were many variations, with grips made of wood or Bakelite found among various handle styles.
Here a Puma trench knife as used by German ground troops in WWII. The Bakelite grip is in almost perfect condition. This red/brown colored Bakelite grip is associated with examples produced from 1942 through the end of WWII, and is secured to the handle with 3 original rivets. The blade on this knife is nice, with very few marks throughout. The “Puma Solingen” manufacturer marking remains clearly visible on the blade ricasso. The scabbard features a single clip on the rear, for fastening the knife to the boot, or elsewhere on the uniform and equipment. The scabbard of this Puma trench knife shows very little wear and has almost no surface rust. A fantastic field-used example of a desirable WWII German trench knife.