This is a bayonet made for the Canadians. It was made for the Martini Metford rifle and designated Pattern 1893 Canadian Sword Bayonet.
This is a very rare bayonet owing to the few numbers produced.
A sample pattern was produced in early 1893 at Enfield and six rifles and bayonets sent out to Canada for approval.
A production run of 1,000 bayonets was then made by Wilikinson of London and that was it.
It was issued to the Royal Regiment of Canadian Infantry (RRCI) but was found to be unsatisfactory. They adopted the Lee Metford and 1888 pattern bayonet instead.
A further order for 900 Martini Metford rifles and bayonets in 1895 was cancelled.
This bayonet is a combination of a number of bayonets. The hilt is in the style of the 1887 MkIII but with wooden grips (Leather on the 1887)
The blade is of the 1888 pattern.
At first glance it could be mistaken for the 1903 bayonet fror the SMLE but the hilt is longer and the muzzle ring is forward of the crossguard. It also has brass rivets in the handle.
There has according to some sources been only 10 sold in the last 25-30 years which makes it a hard bayonet to find.
I picked this up on the US E-Bay for £315 about 9 months ago listed as an old german bayonet.
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