“1874 Pattern French Gras Bayonet and Scabbard. Maker and date marked 1877 with matching serial numbers*
This is a wonderful find, it is very unusual to find a a bayonet with its matching scabbard – they’ve been together for 146 years! The serial number embossed on the quillion “J9903” and on the scabbard “J9903”. The blade is marked on the back-edge (opposite the bottom cutting edge) with the arsenal, month, and year of manufacture; in engraved cursive writing “Mre d’ Armes de St. Etienne Fevrier 1877”.
It was manufactured to fit the French Model 1874 “Gras” Infantry Rifle, a refinement of the Model 1866 Chassepot Infantry Rifle. The “Gras” was manufactured from 1874 to about 1885. This bayonet was the last of the French “sword-type” bayonets.
This bayonet has a solid brass pommel with integral latching mechanism (push-button/spring-steel). Grips are wood. Crossguard is steel, “blued,” with upper guard being the muzzle-ring, lower guard forming a hooked “blade-breaker” quillon. Blade is 52cm – steel triangular (3-edge) in form (very sturdy as a thrusting weapon). The scabbard is sheet-rolled steel, semi-oval, tubular, with a ball finial.
The Manufacture d’Armes de Saint-Étienne, often abbreviated to MAS (“Saint-Étienne Weapons Factory” in English) was a French state-owned weapons manufacturer in the town of Saint-Étienne, Loire. Founded in 1764, it was merged into the French state-owned defense conglomerate GIAT Industries in 2001.
*Condition*
This bayonet is in excellent condition given its age. The blade has age related tarnishing and rusting, the crossguard has some rusting. The grip is in good condition. The black metal scabbard is in excellent condition. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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