Brass hilted saber bayonets made by Boyle and Gamble in Richmond are quickly recognizable by their flat-sided bird’s head pommels and rounded ridged grips. This one has a mellow patina to the brass hilt with scattered age stains, but no significant handling marks or dings other than a few small ones to the forward edge of the muzzle ring and tip of the quillon. The locking spring and button are in place and show some natural pitting, as does the exposed iron tip of the blade tang on the pommel. The forward edge of the guard is stamped “5,” a mating number to rifle or bayonet adapter. The blade rates good, with intact edge and just the very tip missing, perhaps 1/16 inch. The surface shows a mix of silver gray with dark gray spotting with overall salt-and-peppering that is a bit heavier toward the guard, but still acceptable on such a rare piece.

Until the 1855 series of arms American military rifles were not usually fitted for bayonets and the saber/sword bayonet was intended to make up for that deficiency, with its length compensating for the rifle’s shorter barrel if it came to close combat with a musket armed opponent. The Mississippi rifle was a main candidate, but there were also southern copies. Boyle and Gamble used a clever bayonet lug adapter that would screw-tighten on the barrel, avoiding any extensive machining to fix a bayonet lug permanently.

This is a very good example of a classic Confederate saber or sword bayonet by a prolific and very well-known Confederate arms maker.  [sr] [ph:m]

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