Original German Mauser Model 1871 Rifle Bayonet by Weyersberg & Stamm, Solingen Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice example of the Mauser Model 1871 rifle bayonet with brass hilt, most likely made for the kingdom of Bavaria. The bayonet is in good condition, however due to age and corrosion, some of the markings are faded or missing. 

The steel blade is 18″ long and is in good condition, though it has been sharpened, and has some past pitting, now having a dark patina. The blade ricasso bears the maker marking(partly faded): 

[WE]YERSBERG
& STAMM
[SO]LINGEN

Weyersberg & Stamm, Waffenfabrik was located in the legendary “City of Blades” in western Germany, Solingen. There is not much known about this company, which made edged weapons from 1817 to 1885, which puts the production date of this bayonet to somewhere between 1871 and 1884. This particular maker made the model 1871 bayonets mainly for the Kingdom of Bavaria under contract.

There are traces of the regimental markings on the cross guard, which were partly removed, so we cannot determine the precise regiment this bayonet was issued to. It does appear to begin with a B however, solidifying the Bavarian connection.

A very nice example of this relatively rare bayonet, read to display!

The Mauser Model 1871 adopted as the Gewehr 71 or Infanterie-Gewehr 71, or “Infantry Rifle 71” (“I.G.Mod.71” was stamped on the rifles themselves) was the first rifle model in a distinguished line designed and manufactured by Paul Mauser and Wilhelm Mauser of the Mauser company and later mass-produced at Spandau arsenal.

Paul Mauser developed his bolt-action rifle from 1867 to 1871. During 1870–71 trials with many different rifles took place, with the “M1869 Bavarian Werder” being the Mausers’ chief competitor. The Mauser was provisionally adopted on 2 December 1871, pending the development of an appropriate safety. With support from the government’s Spandau arsenal, the improvements to the safety mechanism were completed and the rifle was formally accepted on 14 February 1872 as Infantry Rifle Model 1871 by the German Empire excluding Bavaria. General issue to troops began in late 1873 and all units had been converted by the spring of 1875. The Mauser 1871 was replaced by the magazine-fed, smokeless powder using Gewehr 1888 from 1888 through 1890.