Interesting spike bayonet scabbard spotted today

[berthaq]

Some years back Sarco had a special on Enfield spike bayonets, 30 for $45. The box arrived and it not only had the bayonets but a bunch of scabbards as well. Later when I bought Skinnerton's spike book, I found that I had at least one by each maker he listed, and every type of scabbard except the "lend-lease" ones from the US. Then I found a STEN gun spike in a dusty old pawn shop in Hampton, VA for $35.

Talk about luck!
Jack

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[breakeyp]

In the late 1960's, I briefly worked for a college museum. Their idea of preservation was to coat the arms in storage with Johnson's paste wax. Nothing was done to the interiors and they would not spend $.35 for a screw to attach the rammer to a Colt 1849 .31 revolver. I was told that a few years previously, a local Dr. asked the museum to store his Sharps rifle collection (all mint Civil War etc.) while he was on a multiyear sabatical in Europe. They could and did display some of them. The "curator" drilled the fore and butstocks with holes to take drill rod so that they could be hung from pegboard with out the hooks showing. I did not find out what the Dr. said on his return.

Noted and convicted author, R.L. Wilson showed up at the Michigan Henry Ford Museum and "helped" them consolidate their firearms collection. He took the cream and left the runts. The curator took the money and bought collectible furniture that later were proven fakes.

I have found that all museums will accept firearm donations and then sell them out the back door as fast as they arrive. They have little interest in firearms and in discussions with curators I have been told that errors in presentation or descriptions aren't a big deal as most of the public are stupid and just want to look. Many will reblue and fix up to make them pretty not historically honest (President Truman's Colt M1911 and M1917 pistol and revolver are heavily and poorly reblued in his Independence Mo.museum).

During a visit to the British National Army Museum I noted that they had a WWI trench display with a WWII Alex Martin offset Pattern 1914. Later at a Luncheon of gun people I was asked about the display and I commented on the Pattern 1914. It turned out that the man was the former curator who did the display. Oops! He told me that they wanted to show a sniper and that was all they had.

Remember to most curators, these things are just part of the job and they loose interest after 5:00pm on the way home.

[spinecracker]

I just sent the museum's administrator an email - the worst he can do is laugh at me. If he does, I could send an email pointing out all the errors on the firearms display....lol

[Peter Laidler]

You ought to hear what some visitors tell those that work in this type of environment. I've never heard such a load of pure horse shi........., er...., manure in all my life.

If anyone else tells me that thge Bren gun was as accurate as the best sniper rifle again, I'll shove it up his ar......, er....armpit. As for the pure cow manure they tell me about the sten gun. That it goes off when the static line of a paratroopers parachute breaks free and kills all around him.., well........ As for throwing a loaded sten into a room and letting it go off on its own and killing all inside, instead of a grenade... And that is truly what I have been told in the past...........

Best write with a note, suggesting that xyz is, perhaps, erronious will get results.............

[spinecracker]

I have a year pass to the museum (my girls just love to look at the stuffed bird and animal displays, but are too young to know why the birds and animals are not moving - I am prepared for them to run out of the display one day screaming their heads off when they work out what is actually going on....), so I can go back once a week and point out to all the visitors the errors on the display, such as explaining why the the "circa 1917 No.1 Mk.III*" has a 1915 date on the buttsocket (I mean, how could they miss that???).

[Peter Laidler]

On the subject of No4 spike bayonets, does anyone out there in forumland have one of each type/variation as listed in the Graham Priest bible?

[peregrinvs]

On the subject of No4 spike bayonets, does anyone out there in forumland have one of each type/variation as listed in the Graham Priest bible?

I have examples of the 4 main No.4 spike types + a repro Sten spike. I don't have all the manufacturer variations - goodness knows where I'd put them all...

(Whilst not a spike but it's in the Priest book, I also have a No.7 which I got in a swap many years ago for 2 AK-47 bayonets. The other chap is probably still kicking himself)

[Warren]

Marysdad: A most excellent site and thank you for posting the link. Nice write ups and good photo's. A Canadian chap did a rather extensive treatise on the spike bayonet some years ago and i think he as somewhere around 150 to 200 variations listed. I bought a hand made copy from him years ago and must go look for it.
Paul: do you have a copy ???

[Peter Laidler]

Jeeeeeeeeeeeeees, is that right Wheaty.......... 150 PLUS variations of the No4 spike variations/variables! I suppose that if you include scabbard variations, steel, mazak mouthpieces etc etc, it's feasible.

No wonder nobody came back in answer to my question regarding anyone owning every type/variable!

[Mk VII]

They are museum people, not gun people. They can be just as happy working in another type of museum.