Confederate bayonet scabbards are pretty much the rarest C.S. accouterments. After the war a cartridge box or cap box could be useful for hunting and a belt of any sort could be handy, but a bayonet was useful for little more than digging potatoes and a leather scabbard had even less purpose. This one has typical southern construction techniques that set it apart from federal examples. The belt loop is attached to the body of the scabbard by stitching alone, which is true for some federal examples, but the loop itself is narrow, with parallel sides that do not flare out like federal types, which spread out the weight and better keep the sheathed bayonet from twisting around. The scabbard body has straight line of stitching down the middle of back, along what would be the flat of the blade, which is like federal scabbards, but the open tip of the scabbard shows that it was either just sewn closed or held a simple lead or pewter finial, and was not fitted with the longer scabbard tips with finials used on federal bayonet scabbards of all sorts.

This is both rare and in very good condition. The belt loop is still attached to the scabbard body and the body itself is full length, measuring 14.25 inches from throat to the tip, and thus meant to hold a blade just shy of that in length. The stitching along the seam of the body is intact for just the first few inches, but no leather is missing below that and it could be closed up by a conservator if desired, but we leave that to the next owner. It is a very scarce piece as it is.  [sr]

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