Rare British 1879 pattern Saw-backed sword bayonet for the Martini-Henry artillery carbine Mk1.
The 657mm blade is double-edged for the last 220mm and terminates in a spear point. The blade is in reasonable condition, clean and bright with some patches of pitting around the middle and there is a slight bend towards the point.
The spine has 20 pairs of offset saw teeth above a short fuller ending with a medial ridge towards the point. The saw teeth remain extremely sharp.
The ricasso bears the War Department stamp and broad arrow and two Enfield inspection stamps. The obverse ricasso bears the crowned VR cipher of Queen Victoria. The spine is also stamped wih an Enfield factory mark.
Despite the relatively short span of their official usage (1879-1900), 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 and clean with a pale speckled patina. The knurled leather grips are in good condition and the press-stud and external leaf spring mechanism work perfectly. The spine of the tang bears an Enfield inspection mark along with “ARR” and a separate letter “A.” The tang is also stamped with a Board of Ordnance sold out of service mark. The pommel of the bayonet bears the number 527.
The bayonet is complete with its original steel mounted black leather scabbard. The leather is in good condition and the stitching is intact and tight. The leather is stamped with a WD and arrow, two Enfield factory inspection stamps and the date ’92 (1892). The steel locket and chape bear Enfield stamps and the frog stud bears the number220.
This is a fair and honest example of a rare P1879 Martini Henry artillery sword bayonet.
