French issue Chassepot bayonet in its issue steel scabbard captured by the Germans during the Franco Prussian war.
£195
A rare and interesting French issue Chassepot bayonet in its issue steel scabbard captured by the Germans during the Franco Prussian war and reissued. Ribbed brass grip with release button to the left rear is fitted with a hooked quilon cross guard struck with various French issue and inspection marks. The cross guard engraved with German issue markings 36.R.L.i.2.98. Fullered single edge Yataghan blade signed Mle Imple de Chatl Mai 1867 to the top for original manufacture at the French governments Chatellerault armoury in May of 1867. In its correct pattern steel scabbard. Designed to fit on the Model 1866 Chassepot rifle these bayonets also fit onto the later Gras rifle although a lighter and slimmer pattern was officially adopted for the new rifle. A typical sword bayonet of the time it was like the British rifle regiments Yataghans designed to work both as a bayonet and a short sword, but like the British weapon was not ideal for either purpose, and later bayonets were made shorter and lighter to make them more practical when fitted to the rifle for fighting. During the Franco Prussian war the Germans captured many Chassepot rifles and bayonets from the French army and re issued them to rear echelon troops and home defence units, the Chassepot rifle actually being considered superior to the Dreyse rifles issued to German front line troops at the time. Later during 1914 many of the bayonets were adapted to the fit the German Mauser 71/84 and 1888 commission rifles still on issue to reserve units making these unconverted Chassepot bayonets with German markings very scarce today. In good condition with clean blade and scabbard with good clear German issue markings.
