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 light scratches and small dings. The working locking spring and button are in place and show some natural mottling, as does the exposed iron tip of the tang on the pommel. The forward edge of the guard is stamped “13.”

The blade meas. approx. 20.00 inches long with a 11.50 inch long unstopped fuller. Blade surface is in good condition with light scattered mottling. Both sides of the last 3.00 inches of the point have a salt-and-pepper look with heavy pitting. True edge is free of nicks until it reaches the point.

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

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