AMES SABER BAYONET FOR SHARPS NEW MODEL 1859 RIFLE

$650.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 490-6886

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This Sharps NM1859 Rifle saber bayonet fits the parameters for those supplied to the US Navy by Ames to go with the Mitchell contract Sharps rifles they ordered in 1861. See Marcot, Paxton and Marron, and McAulay for details. In September 1859 the U.S. Navy had ordered 900 Sharps M1859 rifles in .56 caliber with saber bayonets. These were delivered from November 1860 through April 1861. On June 4, 1861, the Navy ordered another 1,500 Sharps rifles, this time in .52 caliber, through John J. Mitchell, a Sharps sales agent in Washington, with 500 to go to each of the Navy facilities in Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Most were delivered by the end of July. New York had its allotment by August 7. The day after ordering the guns the Navy contracted with Ames, who had supplied bayonets for the September 1859 order, for an additional 1,500 saber bayonets. The first were delivered by the end of July, with 1311 received by the end of the year, and the last 189 early in 1862. McAulay implies all were dated 1861. Marcot, Paxton and Marron, however, say the last 189 were dated 1862, as this is.

This is in very good condition. The blade is 22-inches long with an unstopped fuller, crisply dated 1862 on the obverse and with an Ames scroll address on the reverse. The latter is a four line stamp with border in the form of a scroll, reading, “MADE BY / AMES MFG CO / CHICOPEE / MASS.” The top line and left portion of Ames is rubbed, but the address as a whole is legible and unambiguous. The yataghan blade is smooth metal with good edge and point, showing as muted silver with a few scattered dark age spots, some light scratches, a small pencil eraser size spot of small pitting on the upper edge of the fuller near the guard on the reverse and two in the fuller midway along the blade on the obverse. Neither is very obtrusive. The brass hilt has an untouched medium patina, showing just minor handling marks. The spring release button (“finger piece”) and spring are in place showing blue turning slightly plum.

Unlike the earlier Ames saber bayonets for the 1859 navy contract Sharps that have a ricasso, the Mitchell pattern has an unstopped fuller, and, unlike typical NM1859 army rifle saber bayonets, government contract or those purchased on the open market, these lack any serial number applied to the upper flat of the grip to match them with a rifle.

Mitchell contract Sharps US Navy rifles are known to have been aboard the sloop Iroquois, the St. Lawrence in the Mississippi fleet, on the Pensacola, and also on the USS Kearsarge. This is a scarce Sharps bayonet for well-respected rifles that saw wide service.  [sr][ph:L]

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