VERY RARE**American Civil War Era Confederate Army & Navy ‘Bowie Bayonet’ With Chequered Polished Horn Scales, Etched Blade, Cross Guard With 14mm Diameter Muzzle Ring Cross Guard & Scabbard Bayonets

**VERY RARE**American Civil War Era Confederate Army & Navy ‘Bowie Bayonet’ With Chequered Polished Horn Scales, Etched Blade, Cross Guard With 14mm Diameter Muzzle Ring Cross Guard & Scabbard. Sn 20297 - 20297

Popularly known to the collecting world as the Bowie Bayonet these impressive bayonets were popular with both Union & Confederate troops in both the Army & Navy. Union examples were marked ‘U.S’. Many Confederate Bowie Bayonets were made by the British Sheffield trade when the outbreak of hostilities in 1861 sparked a boom for foreign cutlery manufacturers. Sheffield cutlers reaped handsome returns exporting substantial quantities to the Confederacy. See pages 179, 183 & 193 of The Bowie Knife by Flayderman where examples of Bowie Bayonets are illustrated (we cannot find an exact match for ours which has the quality and weight of a Sheffield made piece. The bayonet charge which can be seen in image 1 taken from a contemporary war artist’s impression illustrates why these impressive weapons would have been useful in combat). Our example, no doubt a Confederate weapon has a 10” long deep swept Bowie blade (15” overall). The blade is undamaged and has just staining consistent with age. One side of the blade has etched scrollwork decoration which is rubbed in areas. There are no visible maker or date marks. It has a steel cross guard with 14mm diameter muzzle ring (we are uncertain which rifle this bayonet was made for). Its polished horn ergonomic scales are undamaged with no chips or cracks and have chequered panels. Each grip is secured by 5 pins. One scale has a sprung knurled steel release button which works as it should. The Bowie bayonet is contained in its original leather scabbard which has a brass throat mount with frog locket and brass chape. The leather has some surface scuffing consistent with age and service use but all leather and stitching are clean & intact. The price for this very rare Bowie Bayonet includes UK delivery. Sn 20297

£1,895.00