This is a very good example of the classic ca. 1740-1760 Dutch or Dutch/Germanic bayonet typical of those acquired along with muskets by the British government and sent to America for use by colonials in the French and Indian War. Virginia and New York were prominent recipients of these arms and others were directly purchased by colonial governments. They met a mixed response, but were desperately needed and many were brought out again at the beginning of the Revolution. See Neumann, Battle Weapons of the American Revolution, Figs. 44.BB and 45.BB in particular; also Mullins, Of Sorts for Provincials, p.131 for a fragmentary example of this pattern excavated at Crown Point.

This is a mix of dark and light brown overall, with relatively shallow pitting suggesting it was more likely a barn or garage-find than excavated. It is full length, with no bends or breaks, good edge and point. The socket is complete, set up for a bottom-mounted bayonet stud, as these usually are. The neck is squared and the blade is flat, with a narrow, round-ended rectangular guard at the base of the blade, with the blade edges flat for about half its length.

Neumann attempts to distinguish between purely Dutch and Dutch/Germanic types by whether the blade is edged all the way to the guard and the guard is more oval, which he regards as Dutch versus bayonets incorporating Germanic elements like the flat sides and more rectangular guards such as this has, though it omits incised lines around the mouth and base of the socket, which he regards also as Germanic. As far as Dutch exports go, however, not only did the suppliers act as the “arsenal of the world,” Neumann notes the weapons were manufactured both in the provinces of the Netherlands and also contracted from Liege, Suhl, Solingen, Zella and elsewhere (see Neumann, p.107,) which would produce minor stylistic variations.  [sr][ph:L]

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