French issue Chassepot bayonet in its matching numbers scabbard by the Mutzig Arsenal.
£175
French issue Chassepot bayonet in its matching numbers issue steel scabbard by the Mutzig Arsenal. 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 and serial number to the left side H92414. Fullered single edge Yataghan style blade signed Mle Impale de Mutzig Juin 1869 to the top for manufacture in June of 1869 at the French governments Imperial Armoury at Mutzig. In its correct pattern steel scabbard re stamped with the bayonets serial number to the front side H92414 over barred out previous number and suspension bar to the rear. 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. Mutzig was the 4th of the large French arsenals but was to be lost to Germany after the Franco / Prussian war which saw the area over run and retained by Germany in the early 1870’s. In good condition with good clean blade, nice grips with working catch and a nice scabbard numbered to the blade.
