This is an about FINE condition example of the British Pattern 1853 socket bayonet for use with the Pattern 1853 Enfield Rifle Musket. The face of the blade is clearly marked with the initials R.&W.A., indicating the bayonet was delivered by the Birmingham based arms maker Richard & William Aston. The firm of Richard & William Aston was established in circa 1845 and remained in business through 1870.  They were gunmakers who not only produced complete arms, but also supplied gun locks, gun furniture, ramrods, bayonets and gun tools to the Birmingham gun trade. The blade is additionally marked with a Gothic letter F near the blade to shank joint. This suggests that the bayonet was actually produced by a foreign contractor who’s initial was “F” and then sold by R&W Aston. During the mid-19^th century, the Birmingham trade relied heavily upon both Solingen (Prussia) and Liège (Belgium) contractors to supply the large numbers of socket bayonets needed to accompany orders of Enfield Rifle Muskets, which were being shipped all over the world, but in particular to the belligerents engaged in the American Civil War. The rear edge of the socket is stamped with the initials JG, possibly a workman or inspector and with the number 7, which may have been used as a mating mark since the Pattern 1853 Enfield Socket Bayonet was not an interchangeable bayonet, and they were hand fit to the gun to which was issued with.

The bayonet has a 17 ½” blade measured from the tip to the shoulder where it meets the shank and measures 17 ¾” from the tip to the face of the shank, a typical measurement for the nominally 18” blades. The blade has the typical triangular cross section of the period and has a 15” face flute that terminates near the ricasso and just shy of the tip. The angled sides have nominally 15.5” flutes that extend through the tip of the bayonet. It has a 3” blued socket complete with a locking ring. The sockets and shanks of English bayonets of the era were made of iron, while the blades were steel, and the sockets and shanks were blued to help the softer iron resist corrosion in the field. The muzzle diameter of the socket measures .796” and the three-step mortise is nominally .26” wide and .379” long at the point of rotations, suggesting that a front sight that measures .26” or less wide and less than .379” in length should be able to transit the mortise. These measurements are provided because these bayonets do not interchange and they may help the prospective buyer know if the bayonet has a reasonable chance to fit their Enfield rifle musket. Since these handmade bayonets are non-interchangeable there is no guarantee that the bayonet will fit your gun, but the dimensions are provided to assist you in making an informed decision about buying it.

The bayonet is a very nice example as noted remains in about FINE condition. The bayonet is full length and still quite sharp at the tip. It is 100% complete and retains an original locking ring and tension screw on the socket. The bayonet’s blade has a nice, smooth pewter gray patina that has dulled and mottled and shows a moderate amount of scattered surface oxidation and age discoloration. The blade shows some lightly scattered freckled patches of minor pinpricking as well. The socket and shank retain about 60%+ of their original blued finish, with moderate wear and finish loss, scattered scuffs, scratches and mars and the usual assortment of various minor impact marks on the socket and blade from use, particularly when stacking arms. The locking ring moves smoothly and functions as it should. There are some minor dings around the face and rear of the socket as well, but the socket remains in good round and should have no issues being mounted on an Enfield rifle musket that has barrel and sight measurements that conform to the bayonet’s measurements.

Overall, this is a very attractive example of the classic Pattern 1853 Enfield Socket Bayonet that was delivered by a well-known English gunmaker who delivered thousands of Enfield Rifle Muskets during the American Civil War, many to the Confederate south. This would be a fine addition to any Civil War bayonet collection, or as an accessory for your Enfield Rifle Musket, particularly one made by R&W Aston.

ON HOLD