Ottoman Turkish M1890 Mauser Bayonet by J. P. Sauer of Suhl, 1896
Straight single-fullered knife blade, steel hilt with muzzle ring and forward-curving lower quillon with ball finial, wood slab grips secured by two rivets, steel beaked pommel with locking button. Black leather scabbard with steel locket & oval frog stud and steel chape piece.
The blade is stamped at the ricasso on one side with the manufacturer’s name in Ottoman Turkish, rendered in the contemporary Osmanli script, which translates to ‘SAUER FACTORY, SUHL’, along with the date ١٣١٢ (1312), which is in the Rumi date system and equates to 1896 AD. The spine of the blade is stamped with a crescent moon and six-pointed star, the Turkish national symbol still seen on their flag.
J.P. Sauer was one of five German manufacturers contracted to produce this model of bayonet. They appear to have only produced the 1890. Interestingly their early maker’s mark was incorrectly rendered (the Germans mistakenly applying Arabic lettering and diacritical rules to Osmanli) and was corrected later – this bayonet uses the corrected version.
The top of the hilt is stamped with another six-pointed star. The side of the hilt is stamped with a serial number which translates to ‘606290’. The pommel is stamped on one side next to the locking button with the Tughra, the calligraphic monogram of the Sultan, and with a crescent moon. The other side of the pommel is stamped with a six-pointed star and small calligraphic mark. The scabbard is stamped at the throat with another crescent and star.
The blade has some light patination and a few small areas of cleaned pitting. The hilt, exposed tang and pommel have some patination and a few small dents to raised edges. The wood grips have some denting. One dent to the locking button (with no impact on its functioning). The leather scabbard body has light rubbing, denting and one crease probably due to past bending. The leather is now stiff and the blade sheathes very tightly – to avoid damage I would keep it outside the scabbard or not try to fully sheathe it. The scabbard fittings are darkly patinated, one dent to the chape piece which does not interfere with sheathing and drawing.
