Manufacture Francais Armes & Cycles, St Etienne Aluminium Hilt Trench Fighting Knife With M1871 Gras Bayonet Blade & Original St Knives

VERY RARE, WW1 French Francais Armes & Cycles St Etienne Factory Made Aluminium Hilt Trench Fighting Knife With M1871 Gras Bayonet Blade & Original Steel Scabbard. Sn 16460 - 16460

This a very rare, original, WW1 era trench fighting knife factory made to a high quality by the French arms manufacturer Francais Armes & Cycles St Etienne (see page 27 plates 93 & 94 of Fighting Knives by Fred Stephens where an example without scabbard is illustrated). The 207mm long ‘T’ section blade is correctly made from the end of a Model 1871 Gras bayonet and the cast aluminium hilt with integral cross guard and pommel end is finely chequered. The hilt has 2 holes for wrist cord. The cross guard is marked on one side with partially visible ‘Manufacture Francais Armes & Cycles St Etienne’ and the reverse ‘Brevete’. The knife measures 320mm overall length. The original steel scabbard, factory made from a section of Gras bayonet scabbard has no dents and retains its original black paint and factory applied steel belt clip. The price for this very rare WW1 piece includes UK delivery. Sn 16460

£475.00