Portuguese M1886 Kropatschek Bayonet by Steyr

Single-fullered ‘yataghan’ downward-curving blade with spear point, steel cross hilt with straight lower quillon & circular finial, and upper quillon projecting from the muzzle ring. Brown wood slab grips riveted to the exposed tang, steel pommel with locking button, plain steel scabbard with frog hook. Blade 18½ inches in length, the bayonet 23½ inches overall.

No maker’s mark to the spine of the blade – it may have been removed by polishing. The ricasso of the blade is stamped on one side with a clover-shaped Portuguese inspection mark. The hilt is stamped faintly on one side with ‘another clover inspection mark and on the other side with ‘J668’. The exposed tang is stamped with ‘7’. The throat of the scabbard is stamped with ‘NN63F’. The frog stud of the scabbard is faintly marked ‘WG’, a Steyr factory mark.

The M1886 Kropatschek rifle proved to be reliable and had a long service life - while it was replaced by the 1904 Mauser in the Portuguese army it was used by colonial units in WW1, issued to the Portuguese Legion during the Spanish Civil War, and was still in use by colonial police as late as the 1960s. Its bayonet was one of the last to make use of the ‘yataghan’ downward-curving blade.