Posted 11 years ago
Chrisnp
(310 items)
Here’s the Model 1871 bayonet for my previously posted 1871 Mauser.
The blade is over 18 inches (about 46 cm) long and marked with the manufacturer’s name Clemen & Jung. The spine is marked crown/W/75, indicating it was initially accepted for service during the reign of Emperor Wilhelm I (Kaiser Bill’s granddad) in 1875. I used to know what the gothic C beneath stood for, but I just can’t recall and I can’t find it in my references.
The bayonet and scabbard are both stamped 97.R.9.87 with the R in script. This deciphers as the 97th Reserve infantry regiment, 9th Company, bayonet number 87. This unit was activated at the outbreak of WWI, and at that point the bayonet was likely used with the later 1888 commission rifle, which it also fit. There is also a previous regiment that has been marked out beneath the aforesaid markings, but I can’t make out the regiment number. The scabbard also has the crown “O” for King Otto of Bavaria (1886-1913) so this bayonet and scabbard has seen quite a bit of service between when it was made and WWI.
Really nice accessory.
Thanks Blunder. When I first acquired the bayonet, it was partly covered in white house paint (ugh, there are stirring sticks for that!), so I had to strip that off and lost the patina on the handle. Now it looks like the patina is coming back.
Thanks for the love vanskyock24, officialfuel, pw-collector, walksoftly, blunder and fortapache.
The crowned C would be the inspector's mark.
Thanks Militarist. I was thinking along those lines but wasn't confident enough to say it
Thanks for the love Vintagefran.
I just bought an 1871 bayonet for 1871 Mauser. But it will not go into into the stud/lug. Any ideas as to why not? Thw bayonet is correct and the ring fits the muzzle perfectly.