NEAR EXCELLENT DAHLGREN BOWIE KNIFE BAYONET AND SCABBARD

$2,650.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 1179-1247

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This is a great example of the scarce Civil War U.S. Navy Bowie knife bayonet developed by John A. Dahlgren, with a bright blade, sharp markings, good edge and point, brass hilt bright but not polished, with just few scratches to the wood grip and some wear spots to the finish of the scabbard. The blade has very crisp markings: AMES MFg Co./ CHICOPEE / MASS on the reverse ricasso; and, U.S.N. / D.R. / 1864 on the obverse, with the matching DR inspection stamp on the pommel in script letters in an oval cartouche of Daniel Reynolds, a civilian who worked as an inspector for both the army and navy, whose mark shows up also on navy cutlasses, as well as cavalry and artillery sabers, and musicians’ swords.

The brass hilt – guard, backstrap and pommel –shows bright and the locking spring on the right shows lots of blue, though the button shows a silver gray from handling. The pommel flat is very good, just a few tiny dings, and the inspection mark is very good. The wood grip has a few handling marks and scratches, but a tight fit, nice color and surface, and well-defined contours to the ridges and finger grooves. The scabbard is complete and rates very good, with throat and drag in place, and showing a mellow, aged brass patina, with just some shallow dings to the drag and the button in place on the throat. The leather has a tight seam and nice color, with the finish showing just scattered light brown rubs and a little wrinkling at the drag.

Dahlgren suggested a bayonet in the form of a Bowie knife in 1856, though he envisioned it mainly as a handheld weapon for use in boarding actions. He described it as, “a short broad and stout knife of the well-known Bowie pattern, the principal use of which I designed to be in the hand in close conflict, such as boarding. In campaigning it would also serve many wants: but it may be fixed and used as a bayonet.” For this reason, it is sometimes found issued in conjunction with his Whitney-Plymouth Navy Rifles, such as in June 1864 when Dahlgren requested 1,000 of each for his squadron, but was also issued on its own for use with rifles and revolvers in picket boats, such as the 500 ordered and delivered in late 1861 to the Washington Navy Yard for use of the Potomac Flotilla, more than a year before delivery of the Dahlgren rifles began, which, when they came, were equipped with Collins and Company saber bayonets.

Hardin notes four slight variations in the pattern from 1861 to 1864, mostly based on the markings. This fits with his “Variation 4” on the basis of the 1864 date, arched form of the Ames marking, and its placement on the reverse rather than obverse ricasso, and does not have the postwar anchor, “P,” and “G.G.” re-inspection markings sometimes seen. As is correct for this variation there are narrow impressed border lines on the face of the scabbard and the grip has a wood screw set flush within the stud guide groove.

This is a great example, formerly in the collections of the Texas Civil War Museum that would fill a spot in a Navy, bayonet, Civil War arms, or Bowie knife collection.  [sr] [ph:L]

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