French Model 1866 Chassepot Sword Bayonet with Brass Grip & Steel Scabbard by Reeves of Birmingham. BAYO 369. Bayonets

The Chassepot bayonet was the first of the French sabre bayonets to have a hooked quillion. This design feature was quite popular in the late 19th Century, when the bayonet was considered a form of fencing. When parrying the enemy’s thrust, the soldier was to use his own bayonet to deflect the enemy blade and the quillion, like the quillion on a sword was intended to keep the enemy's blade from continuing downward; in this case sliding down the length of the rifle to strike the soldier’s left arm and hand holding the fore stock of his rifle. This is a nice example of the French model 1866 Chassepot sword bayonet (See 'An Illustrated History of Bayonets’ by Martin J. Brayley pages 70-71. This model was manufactured by several countries. The U.S.A also utilised this bayonet for the Remington Rolling Block. The steel single edged blade with fuller is undamaged with just light staining consistent with age and has numerous inspection stamps and the maker ‘Reeves of Birmingham’ (Charles Reeves Junior was both a gun maker and a sword maker at the Toledo Works in Charlotte Street, By 1850 he, Charles Reeves and his father Charles Reeves, had taken over the gun and sword making factory in Charlotte Street formerly occupied by the Sargant family. Reeves supplied the government with arms and made a variety of guns, swords and bayonets. Charles Reeves Jr was made bankrupt in 1869 and the stock sold off). The blade is 578mm-700mm overall. It has the correct steel hooked quillon with muzzle ring. It has a ribbed brass grip with flat spring and steel push button with inspection stamps and the number ‘732’ on the spine. It is complete with the correct scabbard made of sheet steel. The scabbard has no dents and has its original strap bar. The price includes UK delivery. BAYO 369.