Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1914

Date Range To

1918

Materials

STEEL, BRASS

No. Pieces

1

Length

70.0

Width

2.8

Description

57.5 CM LTH. (BLADE). SERIAL #FH69285. SWORD STYLE. THE NUMBER "12" IS STAMPED ON THE BLADE. ALSO, "A CROWN AND "M"AND "M" STAMPED ON THE GUARD AND THE BLADE. INSCRIPTION ON THE UNSHARPENED SIDE OF THE BLADE READS, "MRE D'ARMES DE ST. ÉTIENNE, FÉVRIER 1845".

Subjects

ARMAMENT-EDGED

Historical Association

MILITARY

History

BELIEVED OF FRENCH OR GERMAN ORIGIN & ACQUIRED AS WW I BATTLEFIELD SOUVENIR. *UPDATE* IN 2012 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT DAVID SMITH CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MILITARY OBJECTS. HE WAS UNABLE TO DISCOVER NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, BUT WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE COUNTRY OR ORIGIN AND SITE OF PRODUCTION. THE ‘MANUFACTURE D'ARMES DE SAINT-ÉTIENNE’ WAS A FRENCH STATE-OWNED MANUFACTURING COMPANY LOCATED IN THE TOWN OF SAINT-ÉTIENNE. IT HAS SINCE BEEN MERGED INTO THE STATE-OWNED NEXTER DEFENSE CONGLOMERATE. THE ROYAL ARMS MANUFACTURE WAS CREATED IN 1764 UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE GENERAL INSPECTOR OF THE ROYAL ARMS MANUFACTURE OF CHARLEVILLE. IN 1838, THE ANNUAL PRODUCTION WAS WELL OVER 30,000 FIREARMS. IN 1864, THE MODERN FACTORY WAS BUILT, NEW STEAM-POWERED MACHINES WERE INSTALLED AND THE FIRST MILITARY STANDARDIZED BOLT ACTION RIFLE, THE CHASSEPOT, WAS PRODUCED FROM 1866 ON, THEN THE GRAS RIFLE AFTER 1874. THIS BAYONET WAS MADE IN FEBRUARY OF 1846 AT THE FRENCH STATE ARSENAL, MANUFACTURE D'ARMES DE SAINT-ÉTIENNE. THOUGH CREATED IN 1845, THE YATAGHAN SWORD BAYONET IS USED ON THE 11 MM CHASSEPOT NEEDLE-FIRE RIFLE PRODUCED IN 1866 AND CAN ALSO MOUNT TO THE 11 MM GRAS RIFLE PRODUCED AFTER 1874. THE TERM "YATAGHAN" IS DERIVED FROM THE TURKISH WORD FOR "ONE WHO LAYS DOWN" TO DESCRIBE THE DOWNWARD-SWEEPING DOUBLE-CURVE BLADE PROFILE. THE DOUBLE-CURVE ADDED STRENGTH AND RIGIDITY WHILE KEEPING THE HILT AND POINT IN ALIGNMENT FOR THRUSTING EFFICIENCY. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P19738783000

Acquisition Date

1973-08

Collection

Museum

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