Scarce British 1879 pattern Saw-backed sword bayonet for the Martini-Henry artillery carbine Mk1.
The 656mm blade is double-edged for the last 220mm and terminates in a spear point. The blade is in very good condition, clean and bright with only a few tiny spots of tarnish on the cutting edge.
The spine has 20 pairs of offset saw teeth above a short fuller ending with a medial ridge towards the point. The blade has been factory/armoury sharpened and retains its edge. The saw teeth remain extremely sharp.
The ricasso bears the War Department stamp and broad arrow, a bend test cross and an Enfield inspection stamp. The obverse ricasso bears a faint crowned VR cipher and the manufacture date of September 1883. There are two additional Birmingham reissue stamps dated 1900 and 1901, probably for service during the Anglo-Boer Wars. The spine is marked with an Enfield factory inspection stamp and an “R” (reissue stamp?). Interestingly, there is also a “W” stamp. I am unsure as to what this stamp means.
Despite the relatively short span of their official usage (1879-1900 officially, although the 1901 reissue stamps suggests otherwise), these artillery sword bayonets saw intense service and were present in every British campaign during that period, from India, Afghanistan, Egypt, The Sudan, South Africa (Boer Wars) and China (Boxer Rebellion) to name but a few.
The steel D-guard is bright with speckles of tarnish. The knurled leather grips are in good condition with some age and use-related wear. and the press-stud and external leaf spring mechanism work perfectly. The side of the pommel is stamped with an issue number, 58. The spine of the tang bears both Enfield and Birmingham inspection marks among others.
The bayonet is complete with its original steel mounted black leather scabbard. The leather is in good condition with small marks consistent with its age and use. The leather is faintly stamped with the War Department arrow and WD mark, an inspection mark and the date mark for 1883. The stitching is intact and tight. The locket and chape are bright with some speckled tarnish. The chape has a small braised repair to one edge. The frog stud is stamped with the War Department arrow. The sword bayonet sheathes and draws smoothly and is held firmly within the scabbard.
This is a very good example of a scarce P1879 sword bayonet with stamps suggesting Boer War issue.
£600.00
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