French M1886/93/16/35 Lebel Bayonet

Cruciform shortened spike blade, steel hilt with muzzle ring, brass grip, tubular steel scabbard. Brown leather frog, outer side painted black. Blade 33.5cm (13¼ inches) in length, the bayonet 45.5cm (~18 inches) overall.

The hilt is stamped with a serial number which is beneath paint, making it only partly legible. The blade has an inspection mark ‘T’ to the forte.

The 1886/93/16 bayonet pattern fitted to the M1886 Lebel and M1907 Berthier rifles used by the French Army during WW1, and was the third version of the M1886 (which was revised in 1893 and 1916). This version had a simplified flat locking button and was manufactured without the quillon found on earlier types. The brass handle was another expediency measure to increase production – German silver (cupro-nickel-zinc alloy) was the original material.

In 1935 many of the various types of Lebel bayonets in the French arsenals had their blades shortened to 13¼ inches by removing the slender tip and repointing. The shorter blades were considered less prone to breakage, and perhaps with the decline of the bayonet in warfare additional reach was less important than ease of carry. The scabbards were also modified to match – this one has been cut down to size by removing the lower section, with the chape end (with drainage hole) then reattached by brazing.

The blade has some spots of patination, particularly towards the reshaped tip. The scabbard has a few small dents and some losses to the black gloss paint, revealing patinated steel. The hilt has the same black paint, in the same condition. The brass grip has tiny dents. The leather frog is flexible, with all if its stitching intact. There is one small tear to the edge of the leather on the rear side belt loop, not enough to threaten its integrity. Some surface cracking to the unpainted rear side, and rubbing of the paint in high-wear areas on the front side, revealing the brown leather.