22.25" semi-Yataghan blade, 1.125" wide at ricasso, 27.25" in overall length. Blade with flat spine and 17.375" stopped fuller. 5.625" cast brass hilt with 16 grooves. Guard with cock's comb quillon on top of muzzle ring and reward swept disc quillon on lower guard. Muzzle ring with .90" interior diameter. Muzzle ring with locking mechanism for barrel cut in the Harpers Ferry Type I "Ring Bayonet" (aka Snell) Alteration Mississippi Rifles. Pommel with folding barrel ring. Bayonet unmarked. Accompanied by a US 1855 saber bayonet scabbard, the same type was used for both Harpers Ferry 1841 saber bayonets and 1855 saber bayonets. Brass mounted leather scabbard with deeply stamped but mostly illegible WATERVLIET arsenal mark on the back of the leather body. Throat with strap style brass retention bar, ball finial on drag. An extremely nice example of a very rare US saber bayonet. As of April 27, 1855 only 1,128 Mississippi Rifles had been altered to this bayonet system with 500 more in the process of being altered. However, after this date the stud bayonet system was to be used and it is not clear how many additional rifles were altered to this system.

Fine. Blade mostly bright with a very light and careful cleaning. Metal showing some scattered freckles of oxidation and discoloration and some very light pinpricking and minor pitting at the ricasso and near the blade tip. Brass with a golden patina. Locking system and folding ring fully functional. Folding ring with some blue, mostly turning to plum. scabbard about fine as well, showing some scattered scuffing and light wear. Brass mounts with a rich, uncleaned patina and some dings, particularly on the drag.