Wilkinson Pall Mall bayonet 1907 “unmarked”?

**Grimebox** · 05-22-2021, 01:38 PM

This bayonet was kindly given to me by a colleague. No real history other than he got from a friend who in turn obtained it from a deceased relative.
I have referred to it as “unmarked” as the only markings are “Wilkinson Pall Mall” on one side of the blade and on the other an “X”. It also has a serial number of 375 on the grip. The scabbard is unmarked except for a serial number of 878. I have not found any similar ones during my internet search as they all have date stamps or military marks.
Does anybody know anymore about it? Is it a commercial variant?

**Chopperman** · 05-22-2021, 02:31 PM

Interesting bayonet.
I am curious about the "Commercial variant" possibility. I had never thought
about a private purchase bayonet. I never knew that such a thing existed.

**Grimebox** · 05-22-2021, 02:40 PM

I only say that because there were commercially available SMLE’s available during the interwar period, whether bayonets were available as well I don’t know.

**Anderson** · 05-22-2021, 11:03 PM

I would think supplied to another army as no British inspection marks and no royal cypher or date. The round scabbard stud came in from 1915, previously oval. It does have the X bend test mark. So it could be a bayonet matched to SMLE rifles exported to another non Commonwealth country. For example Siam (Thailand), or Egypt, there are other possibilities.

**AndyB** · 05-25-2021, 07:56 AM

the old stamp could be removed, as seen on weakly bend test, there is on right side probably remains of proof? same as there is some serial on pommel? any details? dont believe a serialed bayonet would be a dress or private piece. Or as mentioned by others a different delivery. About round scabbard i was in opinion is postwar or late war, same as there is cleaning hole in pommel, so 1917 is earlier or it was refurbished in time, when looking to round fullers edges the blade was heavily cleaned, i have a Remington piece with similar cleaning on blade with removed not visible crown P1907 stamps.

**Anderson** · 05-25-2021, 10:22 AM

Actually, the more I look at it, I think it's a fake, perhaps Indian made or Pakistan. The reason I think this now is the shallow fuller is not what a Wilkinson blade would have and the maker mark seems to be struck by individual letters and not the usual Wilkinson mark. The scabbard seems to be an authentic one. These countries have been copying British weapons for centuries, but replicating cypher and inspection marks is a bit harder.

**AndyB** · 05-25-2021, 10:49 AM

I dont believe this, when You look at right side of blade on right area of bend test there are probably remains of proof, offcoarse the blade was heavily cleaned so the fuller has removed edges, they looks blurry now. 375 or 775 similar large digit serialing was used on some countries, could be a export piece. Fakes never reached so nice standards, the grips are ok, nut, pommel area too.

**Grimebox** · 05-25-2021, 08:25 PM

I’ve added some images to see if they help.

**AndyB** · 05-27-2021, 06:58 AM

Looks ok to me 375 is large, should be used by some unknown country, personally i would look with magnyfying glass in area of both ricassos, on right one there could be remains of old proofs, but was removed by cleaning.