8mm Lebel bayonet, 1916 model, French (c 1916)

Title	8mm Lebel bayonet, 1916 model
Nationality	French
Period	c 1916

Sold

MAGNIFY

This is the wartime pattern bayonet for the 1886 Lebel rifle, carried by French troops in both World Wars. The original type had a hook quillon, removed on this later model as an economy measure. An iconic photo, taken in Moscow in 1941, shows a women's battalion marching to the front carrying these, fixed on their rifles!

This is a typical French piece, covered in ordnance marks and with the bonus of matching numbers on the scabbard and hilt. The early models, pre-1916, normally had white metal hilts. Later examples, such as this one, had bronze hilts, and occasionally steel hlts appear.

The scabbard has most of the original blue finish and there is also a fair quantity on the blade, which is nice and straight.

If you want to comment on this item—re quality, age, etc—please email me.

[Edged Weapons : Bayonets : French : 20th Century]

online museum

account

testimonials