This is a FINE condition example of the brass handled saber bayonet for the US Model 1861 Whitney Naval Rifle which is better known, if incorrectly, as the “Plymouth Rifle”. The bayonet was manufactured by the Hartford, CT firm of Collins & Company and is clearly marked by them on the reverse ricasso in three lines, with the top line arched:

COLLINS & CO

HARTFORD

CONN

The Collins firm was established in 1826 by brothers Samuel & David Collins and their cousin William Wells. The company was located in the town of Canton, CT on the Farmington River and soon developed a reputation for producing very fine quality axes. The company soon branched out into the production of a wide variety of tools and farm implements and even edged weapons; beating their “plowshares into swords” as one might say, as needed. The Collins Company expanded until its network of factory buildings and employee housing included well over 250 buildings and grew to become its own town of Collinsville, a sort of suburb of Hartford, CT. 

During the American Civil War Collins & Company produced a variety of socket and saber bayonets as well as swords for both the US Ordnance Department and for state contracts. The company had a close relationship with Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company which was also located in Hartford, and produced saber bayonets for the Model 1841 “Mississippi” rifles that were altered by Colt, as well as many of the socket bayonets for their Special Model 1861 Rifle Muskets. Collins also produced bayonets for Eli Whitney, most notably the Model 1861 Naval Rifle saber bayonet. Collins manufactured both saber and socket bayonets for Sharps, another Hartford based company, including their Models 1859 and 1863 rifles, as well as the saber bayonets for the Sharps & Hankins Model 1861 Navy rifles. The same pattern of saber bayonet was also delivered to the Spencer Repeating Arms Company for their Model 1860, 1865, 1867 and New Model Rifles. Collins & Company also produced a variety of swords including the Model 1850 Foot Officers and Model 1850 Staff & Field Officers swords, Pattern 1852 Naval Officers sword, the Model 1840 NCO sword and the Model 1840 Musicians Sword. Interestingly, during the 1830s, they had employed Elisha K Root as their chief machine designer. Root went on to be one of the more prominent gun designers for Colt’s Patent Firearms. The Collins Company remained in business until 1966, and today more than 50 of their original buildings remain standing.

This FINE condition Whitney US Model 1861 Naval Rifle Saber Bayonet is numbered 5763 on the top of the brass handle, to mate it to the gun that it was fit to. This places the bayonet in about the middle of production, as 10,000 rifles and bayonets were delivered under the contract. The brass handled bayonets had to be individually fit to each rifle, and each bayonet hilt and each rifle tang were numbered to match so that the bayonets would remain with the guns that they were mated to. The pommel cap of the brass grip is stamped with the inspector mark F.C.W. for Frank C. Warner, a civilian arms inspector who worked for the Navy during the Civil War era. Warner not only inspected these bayonets, but also the Whitney produced Naval Rifles and many of the Navy purchased Whitney “Navy” percussion revolvers.

The bayonet retains some of its original bright polish on the blade, with some scattered oxidation and discoloration present as well, mostly at the ricasso and near the tip on the obverse. The reverse of the blade shows more evenly distributed oxidized freckling. The single-edged semi-Yataghan blade is full-length at 22 ½” and is 1 ¼” wide at the ricasso. The blade has not been sharpened. The 4 5/8” cast brass hilt has seventeen grooves cast into it and the traditional Collins steel pin through the guard that helps to stabilize the blade in the hilt. The hilt has an attractive, medium goldenrod patina. The original locking spring and stud are in place, and they function as they should. The peen at the pommel cap is undisturbed and the hilt shows some scattered bumps and dings as it typical of brass handled saber bayonets. The bayonet is also accompanied by its original brass mounted, leather scabbard. The scabbard is in VERY GOOD+ to NEAR FINE condition. It has an attractive, uncleaned ocher patina on the brass mountings and a strong and stable leather scabbard. The mounts show some scattered minor bumps and dings but remain solid and fully serviceable and are tightly attached to the leather with the original pins. The leather retains much of its original finish, but does show some scattered areas of scuffing, scattered surface finish loss, and a moderate amount of crazing. None of this is excessive or unexpected for a saber bayonet scabbard that saw actual use. The stitching in the seam along the rear of the scabbard is tight and intact.

Overall, this is a very nice and solid example of an attractive, relatively high condition saber bayonet for the Whitney US Model 1861 Naval Rifle complete with a nice, complete original scabbard. If you have been looking for a nice condition saber bayonet and scabbard to display with your high condition, mid-production Whitney “Plymouth” Naval Rifle, this set would be a great addition to your collection. As with any saber bayonet I cannot guarantee that the bayonet will fit the gun, but it will certainly display well with it.