Bayonets of the World by Paul Kiesling - Volumes 1 & 2

- Hard Cover
- Vol 1 Copyright 1972, Vol 2 Copyright 1974 First Editions
- Approx. 65 pages containing 278 individual line drawing plates

The four volume set was at the time the most comprehensive work done on bayonets, and served as the source for many books to follow - including Janzen's Notebook. Long since out of print, any one of the volumes can be found online - finding a good set of all four volumes will much harder to find.
A single hardcover reprint of all four volumes into one book was supposed to have been reprinted and released in 2018.

The "Bayonets of the World" series by Paul Kiesling is a four-volume set that serves as an extensive guide to bayonets from various countries, featuring detailed drawings and descriptions. Published in the mid-1970s, it covers both common and rare examples and is considered a standard reference for collectors. A later, single-volume "Complete Edition" was also published, consolidating and updating the information from the original four books.

Key features:

Original four-volume set (Paul Kiesling)
• Publication: Published between 1974 and 1976
• Content: An extensive guide to a wide variety of bayonets from around the world, including both common and rare examples
• Illustrations: Features detailed line drawings of bayonets and their scabbards
• Format: Hardcover, with over 1000 examples illustrated across the four volumes

"Complete Edition"
• Content: Combines the information from the original four volumes into a single book
• Enhancements: Extended with new information and illustrations
• Organization: Organized into 47 national chapters, describing over 1100 bayonets
• Additional features: Includes indices for length and markings/manufacturers