An interesting French issue Chassepot bayonet in its issue steel scabbard captured by the Germans.
£275
An interesting and scarce French issue Chassepot bayonet in its issue steel scabbard captured by the Germans. 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 35. R.L.1.2.86. Fullered single edge Yataghan style blade signed 1867 to the top. In its correct pattern steel scabbard which has German unit marking 57. LA. 4.171 to the top. The frog stud altered by the Germans to be carried on their regulation issue belt and frog. 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 and re issued them to rear echelon troops and home defence units. Later during 1914 many of the bayonets were adapted to the fit the German Mauser 71/84 rifles still on issue to reserve units making these unconverted bayonets with German markings scarce today. In good condition with clean blade and scabbard.
