This is a minty example of the US Model 1917 bayonet showing canceled British property marks over-stamped with an ordnance bomb and US markings on the obverse ricasso indicating it was diverted from a British contract to supply American troops when the U.S. first entered the war. Not enough 1903 Springfields could be supplied and the U.S. thus used Pattern 1914 Enfields being made for the British by American arms makers, re-chambering them for the American cartridge. The British Pattern 1913 bayonets were a more straightforward matter and were simply designated the US Model 1917.

This example is in mint condition. The wood grips are tight, have good color, and are un-marred. They retain the two crisply cut vertical grooves that give a better grip, but also in the British service differentiated it from the similar Pattern 1907, with which it could not interchange on the Lee-Enfield rifle. The bird’s-head pommel retains a lot of its original blue with just some rubbing on the button and on upper obverse.

The blade is bright, showing mostly a muted silver, with just a few small areas showing gray. (They show up bright, blue, brown or Parkerized.) The ricasso was blued on either side, stamped with “1917” over a “W” in a circle (indicating manufacture by Winchester) on the reverse, and an ordnance bomb over a “US” on the obverse, with an eagle-head inspector stamp at left. The scabbard is the Type No. 1, Variation No. 1, with a leather chape holding the wire belthook, and with the scabbard painted olive drab.

This is a key piece for the U.S. bayonet collector in great condition. [SR]

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