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