This bayonet was made to accompany one of the most attractive of the percussion rifles used during the American Civil War. The Brazilian Light Minié Rifle, manufactured by the O.P. Drissen company of Liège, was a unique combination of the features found on the British Enfield short rifles and the French Light Minié rifle.

This saber bayonet measures nearly 28 ½” long. The blade measures 23 ¾” and features a wide stopped fuller, a narrow fuller, and a false edge running along the top for approximately 6” from the tip. There is only one small nick on the true edge.  The blade remains bright with only a few small darker spots. The Drissen anchor mark appears on the right side of the guard and ricasso. The left side ricasso has the maker’s stamp “S&K” (SCHNITZLER & KIRSCHBAUM of Solingen, Gemany).

The cross guard is of iron and is 4 ¼” wide. The upper half features a muzzle ring topped by a forward facing quillion. The lower portion also has a forward facing quillion on the end.

The ribbed grip is of cast brass. On the end on the pommel is the number “1898”. A matching number would have been stamped on the musket’s barrel lug to keep the set together. A channel runs the entire length of the grip. The spring catch and button are present. The brass is clean and untarnished.

The consensus is that the US Government purchased around 6,000 of these rifles. There are images of Civil War troops with Brazilian rifles. A photo of three US Engineers with rifles and these saber bayonets even shows the distinctive brass US Eagle wrist shields. Occasionally, these weapons show up with state of Ohio ownership marks.

This is a really nice example of an imported saber bayonet, for a rifle used mostly by US troops in the Western Theater.   [jet]

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