SOLD - WWII German Model 1924 Stielhandgranate

Description

11/3/26 - This is a WWII German Model 1924 Stielhandgranate, commonly known as the "potato masher," featuring a 1944-dated inert grenade head and a 1943-dated wooden handle. Introduced during the interwar period, the M24 became one of the most recognizable German infantry weapons of WWII and remained in production during the late-war transition to the simplified M43. Production was distributed among numerous German manufacturers, identified by coded markings rather than company names. This example has a steel head stamped "wc 1944," identifying Hugo Schneider AG (HASAG) at its Meuselwitz, Thuringia facility, a major German wartime armaments producer. The wooden handle is stamped "43 gck," identifying Metallwarenfabrik Siegwerk Gebrüder Schuppener of Siegen, Westphalia, a prewar manufacturer of metal and enamel household goods that subsequently produced grenade components for the German military. The differently dated and manufacturer-marked components are consistent with Germany's decentralized wartime production system, although their original assembly together cannot be confirmed.

The cylindrical steel head retains much of its matte field-gray painted finish, showing light surface scratches and scattered scuffs across the perimeter, along with wear around the rolled edges. The top has a small irregular perforation near the outer perimeter, with a bit of exposed dark metal, chipped paint, and roughened surface immediately surrounding the opening. Additional small areas of raised surface roughness are visible near the stamped maker and date markings, which remain legible despite their light impression. The circular mounting flange shows finish thinning and abrasions along its outer rim, most noticeably on the side adjacent to the handle. The dark painted attachment collar has mild finish loss and brownish discoloration around one of its rectangular openings, with light wear along the adjoining edges. The contoured wooden handle shows scattered superficial scratches, and some handling marks. There are some darker stains and marks toward the wider lower portion of the handle, along with a narrow, dark split extending from the wood immediately behind the attachment collar on the opposite side. The threaded metal end cap remains present, showing fine scratches, dull gray-brown discoloration, and light wear around its concentric ridges and outer edges.