Unknown bayonet?

[Three-oh]

Hi guys,
Hoping someone on here can assist with identifying this edged weapon.
I`ve had if for about 20 odd years and would like to know what it is.
It has a brass Hilt?, with a cast fish scale pattern and a recess cut out of one side of the pommel, a waisted blade with a fuller that is about 9" long, starting about 1" down from the cross piece.
there are no markings on the blade but there is a number "34" maybe, "54" stamped just below the pommel.
It`s about 26-1/2" long ( app.67cm), and the blade about 21-1/2" (55cm approx)
Any ideas from my description?
I`ll post a pic if I can work out how, or if you are interested or can help me out i`ll email them to you.
Thanks for your help.
Rog.mob. 0434359231

Information

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[Three-oh]

here`s a few pics of the bayonet

[Aragorn243]

I don't believe it is a bayonet at all but some type of artillery officer's sword. I would also guess Civil War era.

I am no expert on swords however so don't hold me to that.

I believe it would require a second point of attachment to be a bayonet of that era but again, could be wrong.

[Three-oh]

Hi Aragorn 243, thanks for your comment,

I have just received a reply from a guy ( a Civil War Bayonet Collector) in the USA and he has confirmed that it is a "Sappers and Miners 1845 Bayonet" that has at some time been modified to use as a sword, and the barrel locating lug has been removed.
apparently this lug is part of the cross piece,
It`s a shame the mods were carried out especially as this bayonet is one of the first 200 bayonets made by the Ames Co. for consideration by the US board of ordinance, and it`s considerably scarce?
Looks like it goes back in the cupboard for another 10 or so years!
Thanks for your interest.

[porterkids]

As you already know, someone cut the muzzle ring off the bayonet. In my opinion, as a bayonet collector, the piece has been destroyed. I'm sure there are others who will disagree with my assessment, but this piece is no longer a functional bayonet. As you also pointed out, it has the short central fuller on the blade making it one of the early manufactured pieces. Here's one of the later models complete with scabbard:
http://www.jjmilitaryantiques.com/Ho...p#.VkCrRstH-IU

[Flying10uk]

I my opinion I would think that it would be well worth replacing the missing parts with newly made replica parts. While it is not great that it has been modified and it has been devalued it is not a total loss and the bayonet is still a valuable historic item. Vintage aircraft that are still airworthy will probably contain a significant percentage of new/modern parts but they are still classed as vintage aircraft. I believe that in the vintage car movement it is generally accepted that if a vehicle contains at least 30% of it's original parts then the vehicle is classed as being original and not a modern replica but I stand to be corrected on this point.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

About the Ames Company http://www.ames.com/about/about-ames/
About Ames Plantation Ames Plantation
Quite a bit of detailed history of a company that is still around and a legacy left by one of the family members.

[Three-oh]

Yes, it is a shame the barrel lug was removed, but there`s not a lot i can do about that except machine a new lug and braze it on.
it would be worth the few dollars to refurb it just for its historic value, then put it back in the safe,or hang it over the mantelpiece as I don`t own a "Sappers and Miners" Musketoon, and it doesn`t suit my 3Band.
Thanks for all your input,
Rog

[Three-oh]

Flying10UK,
You`re quite right about the vintage movement, I still ride along with some others, a 1960 Featherbed Norton ES2, it has Chrysler valves, Billet made conrod and forged piston, stainless steel crankshaft,modern bearings throughout,all new machine cut gears in the gearbox, Barnett clutch and modern electrics, rims, spokes and of course tyres, and all new teflon lined bowden cables and a host of other smaller modern manufactured parts and still wins trophies at most rallies, judged as an original bike, without fitting all these parts the bike would be a pile of junk in the corner of some garage, or at a Simms -metal scrap yard so a lug on a bayonet shouldn`t pose a real problem,as long as it is done well,.. the cross piece, blade and handle are still in excellent condition, and after all it is almost 170 yrs old, and quite possibly had a hard life..
Thanks for your input,
Rog.

[old-smithy]

There is another point to this, the piece is a legitimate historical piece and shows the progression of the bayonet into a side arm, many of us have side arm variants of bayonets in our collections, or German WWI ersatz that took old blades and rehilted them and we would never consider stripping them down to take them back to original condition (or at least I would hope not). Keep it as it is, since it is a collection and not a need to add the bayonet to your rifle. just MHO