This is a nice displaying and complete example of the saber bayonet designed to go with the US Model 1863 contract rifle of “Harper’s Ferry Pattern”, better known to Civil War arms collectors as the Remington Zouave Rifle. The Remington Arms Company produced slightly more than 12,000 of these rifles between 1862 and 1865, although it is generally believed that none were actually issued for use during the conflict. Included with each rifle was a brass handled saber bayonet, like the one offered here.

These bayonets featured a relatively straight blade, that shows only the most minor influence of the Yataghan blade shape that was very typical of the period. The bayonets are typically unmarked, except for inspector initials. This one is clearly marked on the top of the brass handle with the BH initials of Springfield Arsenal contract arms inspector Benjamin Hannis, and the sub-inspection letters L and S are present on the hilt, between the steel reinforcement pin and the muzzle ring. The blade measures 20” in length and is 1 1/16” wide at the ricasso with an overall length of  24 ¾”, including the 4 ¾” hilt. The mortise cut in the top of the hilt has a ½” lead cut, for the guide bar on the Remington Rifle’s saber bayonet lug, and the muzzle ring measures .90” to accommodate the thick barrel of the rifles. The blade is full length and retains some traces of the original arsenal bright polish, which has faded and dulled with age. The blade shows evenly scattered freckles of surface oxidation and discoloration along its length, but is free of any pitting. The cast brass grip has an attractive, uncleaned and untouched goldenrod patina with freckled darkness and discoloration, primarily in the fourteen grasping grooves of the hilt. The original locking mechanism is present in the grip and fully functional. As it typical of all brass handled bayonets that saw any level of handling and use, the hilt shows scattered bumps, dings and impact marks. 

Overall, this is an attractive and solid condition example of the saber bayonet for the Remington Model 1863 “Zouave” Rifle. It would be a fine addition to the display of your Zouave Rifle or to add to a collection of Civil War era saber bayonets.