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MODEL 1855 BAYONET AND EARLY BLACK BUFF LEATHER
CIVIL WAR PATTERN SCABBARD – RARE SCABBARD IN EXCELLENT
CONDITION WITH LEGIBLE MAKER’S STAMP: This is a
very respectable specimen of the standard issue Model
1855 Bayonet with an early Civil War Type III Scabbard
with a Black Buff Leather Frog in exceptional
condition. Well cared for through the years, the
scabbard features the early Civil War belt frog, made of
the earlier black buff leather rather than the smooth
bridle leather which became common later in the war.
The buff leather belt loop serves to date the scabbard
as an early war pattern which were used up early in the
War and are very rare today.
The scabbard frog is supple and complete, with no breaks
or weak spots and has an even surface with much of the
raised nap still present. The front of the frog still
retains a partially legible maker’s stamp and a
partially legible US inspector’s stamp. That any of
these stamps remain is notable, as the buff leather did
not hold the stamp impressions as well as the later
smooth bridle leather did, and the stamps applied to the
buff leather faded away with a minimal amount of use.
The maker’s stamp is legible enough to determine that
the maker was located in Newark, New Jersey, and some of
the characters of the maker’s name are legible.
Comparing this information to the known makers of
accoutrements during the Civil War who were located in
Newark, I can determine that the maker was Stephen H.
Young, a saddle maker who had contracts from the US
Government to provide sets of infantry equipments.
The scabbard body is very solid with none of the weak
leather or sagging common to heavily used specimens, and
the surface of the leather is excellent and stable with
a minimum amount of surface flexing. The seam is
completely intact and the brass tip is present and
solidly attached.
The bayonet is marked with a legible “US”, is overall
bright – the socket area has some scattered speckling,
and the blade is generally bright with some darkened
spots and some isolated points of light pitting. This
is simply evidence of gentle aging, without showing any
heavy pitting or edge nicks. The locking ring moves
smoothly. Note that the blade is considerably
brighter than it appears in the photographs due to
reflections during the photography.
These early pattern 1855 scabbards are rare in their own
right, and finding a specimen in this condition with a
legible maker's stamp and mated to an attractive,
presentable bayonet is worthy of note. No doubt that
this set should be mated with a Model 1855 or Model 1861
Springfield Rifle Musket to be truly appreciated.
(1006) $495
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