1873 FRENCH BAYONET??

[WolfmoonX]

My son and I were checking out yard sales the other day and I came across this bayonet, complete with scabbard. No price on it so when I asked about it, the man shrugged and said "Ten bucks". Of course I didn't hesitate. When I asked what he knew about it, he said no clue and that it was found in a box in his grandfathers garage with a bunch of other junk. My initial research says that it's a French bayonet but I'm not 100% sure. I took a few pics of it yesterday but forgot to measure. Looked to be about 20-22 inches long maybe. Inscription along the top of the blade says, "Mre d'armes de st. Etienne Fbre 1873" Maybe you guys can help?

EDIT: As I write this, I just found a youtube video of the same thing. The one I have looks used and isn't as shiny as the one in the vid.

 

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[DCMatt]

That's a cool save and a great buy!

I will speculate that it's from back-in-the-day when you could buy military surplus items for cheap at your local Army Surplus store or thru ads in popular magazines.



I have a Pattern 1842 British 69 cal percussion cap musket that was cut down into a cheap shotgun to be sold around the turn of the 20th C. I'm told firms would buy surplus from the government by the pound, the refurbish, re-purpose, or simply re-sell it to the public. Those were the days...

 

[WolfmoonX]

As I find time between working to look into this, I keep finding more and more information. Check this out.

The 1866 Chassepot

 

[WolfmoonX]

Here is an enlargement of the makers marks. Which is described in the above link as "acceptance stamp of the inspector and manufacturer." To me, it looks like the "M" is stamped over something else? The one on the right looks like a star above an upside down "5". I could possibly be looking at it upside down as well.

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Nice bayonet, you did really good at 10 bucks.

 

[sutphin]

TEN BUCKS . CANT BEAT THAT