French army. M1866 bayonet
 

A rewarding and enjoyable day at a local antique arms fair and one of my prizes was this bayonet, a bit shabby, complete with scabbard and at a bargain price.Posting here with a question, how often, do these if ever. turn up in the hands of non military users in a colonial context, as in local guys carrying them as just a Yatagan, rather than an attachment to a rifle? It is a very handy side arm!

I Saw One
 

David R,

I saw one without the guard and with a horn hilt that looked like a typical Turkish yataghan hilt. There was no sheath. I would have loved to have it but it had just been purchased by another collector and he wasn't about to let it go. In regards to yours, I have to say that, compared to what I am used to seeing in the US, yours doesn’t look shabby at all and the prices here continue to go up. I have one made in Chatellerault and one made in St Etienne. Other arsenals are Mutzig, Paris-Oudry, Tulle, and perhaps Steyr but the ones I most often see here in the US are from St Etienne.If the serial numbers on the sheath and bayonet match, you got yourself a good bargain indeed.

Sincerely,
RobT

To me the most intriguing thing about French military bayonets is the potential of association with the French Foreign Legion (in a thread last year), and the novel "Beau Geste" by Christopher Wren. Then the movies, most well known the 1939 version with Gary Cooper.

In the book, it seems that the Gras M1874 was the last sword bayonet for the French, and sword bayonet was specified in the book.

It seems very possible that Chassepots (1866,1874,1876) might have been in use as well.

In the 1939 movie, the bayonet seen in the specified scene was a 1866 Lebel, epee type blade but not sword hilt....these were known as 'Rosalie'.

Naturally, it is hard to say which bayonet corresponds exactly to the Foreign Legion, regionally, period etc. and of course literature and movies do not necessarily specify correctly as a rule. However, this example to me is likely, 'of the type' in use, and that is enough for me. :)