Original Item: Only One Available. Rated by author collector J. Anthony Carter in his fine book GERMAN BAYONETS, VOLUME 3, page 162, Item #74 as “R 11”, the highest possible rarity category, making this find truly miraculous.
Purchased by a returning American in a street bazaar in Afghanistan in 2009, we just stumbled upon it at the Show of Shows in Louisville Kentucky this past weekend, and the seller knew exactly what he had got!
We’ve had thousands of Ersatz Bayonets over the last 40 years, Anthony Carter is Alexanders Godfather and he refers in his credits to the crates and crates of these bayonets he sorted through in our British Parent Company’s warehouses at Fire-Power International Ltd, but never have we had one of these!
This rare bayonet features an all brass hilt that is fitted with an 1867 Belgian Model Albini Brendlin Socket Bayonet Blade. It even has the original tubular steel scabbard, unmarked other than a small proof mark on the ricasso. As right as rain and we suspect not to be repeated in this lifetime.
To quote Anthony Carter:
“R 11 = Almost unique, one recorded example sold or recorded.”
It doesn’t get any better than that! (See page 23 in Volume 3).
Bayonet # 74, a brass hilted albini socket bayonet bladed Ersatz bayonet with the original steel scabbard offered in great collector’s condition. We doubt youll ever see another again.