Bayonet

[chilidog]

Col. Murph,
My brother bought a bayonet in North Carolina a while back. We don't see any markings on it. I'll try to attach a photo. Do you recognize it?

Chilidog

[colmurph]

Like just the blade part of a Remington Bayonet for the "Zouave" Rifle. It could also be a French Blade from the turn of the century.
Really hard to tell without the hilt and handle. Remington Rolling Block Military Rifles also had a blade bayonet like that. They were made from 1870 onwards, while the Zouave was made in 1865.

[chilidog]

Thanks Col Murph,
He found the blade in a shop in a bucket in a bundle along with some mod. 1840 cutlasses. There was a bundle of the blades like he got. All of the bayonet blades were missing the hilt and handle. Why would that be?


Chilidog

[colmurph]

I'd have to say that they were probably an "Overstock" or spare parts that were never issued. Probably sat in an arms room or the manufacturers place for 50 yrars or so and were then sold for scrap. It happens. Lots of Civil war guns were sold for scrap and were bought up by Frances Bannerman in the 1890's. A guy I know bought a Springfield 1861 for $2.80 in 1940 (he's around 70 now) and the gun is now worth around $2,500.00. Pretty good investment for $2.80 I'd say.

[revwardoc]

I have 2 similar blades, both are French made bayonets which double as swords for hand-to-hand combat. One of them has Avril (April) 1868 stamped on blade which (according to an antiques dealer) is the date of manufacture, the other is so worn down that I can't make out the date but has been identified as a WWI French bayonet. The 1868 blade has a brass handle with a "coat hook" guard extending out about 2" towards the point and a handle-long slot with a release pin at the end of the handle. The other has a full hand guard minus the "coat hook" guard. According to the dealer, the French government made hundreds of thousands of these and sold them to several countries including the US.