Original Item: Only One Available. From our Nepal purchase of 2003 this is the only Sapper’s and Miner’s Bayonet we have found still with the matching original brass mounted leather scabbard.
Measuring 28″ overall length this nice sword bayonet has a 22.5″ fullered blade marked with a British maker’s name MILWARD on the back of the blade which is also marked with an inspectors acceptance stamping.
The brass mounted leather scabbard is in good condition although the seam stitching is now somewhat absent. Over 175 years of life the leather has shrunk so the bayonet is difficult to fully seat in the scabbard. A re-enforcing leather loop has been later added near the toe of the scabbard to give additional rigidity.
More information can be found in David Harding’s wonderful book, “SMALLARMS OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY 1650-1856” see pages 262-264, Volume 2.
This is an extremely rare bayonet to find with original scabbard that one may never encounter again.