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1905 RIA bayonet w/ no serial numbers

notdelbert
I have a 1905 bayonet that is stamped 1906. It has a bright blade and no serial numbers. Mine also has a leather over wood 1908 scabbard

I've done a little research and found that there were a limited number of pre production bayonets made in 1905 with out serial numbers.

What are these selling for?
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • givette
    Between $125.00 through $475.00. Best I could do w/o seeing a picture of the condition. If you would call the condition, say, "very good", we would still be looking at the item through your eyes.

    As you probably have surmised by now, photos are a must. The top of this forum is a "walk-through" on how to post photos to this forum. Thanks, Joe

    EDIT:
    After seeing your photos, I am more inclined to go with the high end of my estimate above if more than one bidder vies for the same item as a "must have". Good luck to you! Joe
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  • notdelbert
    I've seen them advertized for much more than that as they were pre production versions that only 2100 were made.

    http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=122428643
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  • noahsdad
    The advertisement you included is for a 1906 Rock Island Arsenal production bayonet. RIA did not number their bayonets the first year. These are often listed as preproduction, tool room, etc. to drive up the price, but they are normal production.

    Springfield (SA) numbered theirs from the beginning of normal production.

    The 2100 preproduction bayonets had a Krag type hilt, and were stamped "U.S." on the obverse (right) ricasso and "1905" on the reverse.
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  • notdelbert
    Excellent information. Can you provide a link as to where I can find more information on it?

    What type of gun was this mounted on? I may just pick one up to make a wall hanger.
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  • notdelbert
    100_2482.jpg

    100_2486.jpg

    100_2487.jpg

    100_2493.jpg

    100_2494.jpg

    100_2495.jpg

    The pictures are also in the link on my second post.
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  • notdelbert
    This could be a very nice show piece if you were to polish out the blade. There is only mild surface imperfections (no pitting) that should easily be worked out with some jewlers rouge or similar. All I've done is keep it clean.

    The Scabbard has 6 small cuts which are not through the leather and the stitching 2" from the end is separating. Again all I've done is keep it clean.

    Rick
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  • givette
    quote:Originally posted by notdelbert
    This could be a very nice show piece if you were to polish out the blade. There is only mild surface imperfections (no pitting) that should easily be worked out with some jewlers rouge or similar. All I've done is keep it clean.

    The Scabbard has 6 small cuts which are not through the leather and the stitching 2" from the end is separating. Again all I've done is keep it clean.

    Rick

    Hello again, Rick:
    Overall condition is too good to make an "improvement attempt". It will only cause a decrease in value. Keep the item in the condition that is in the photos. Don't touch!! (Except an occasional oil wipe-no abrasives)!! Best, Joe
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  • noahsdad
    I don't have a link for the info. Most of it came from the books "The Springfield 1903 Rifles" by Brophy and "American Military Bayonets of the 20th Century" by Cunningham. Brophy includes pictures of the preproduction bayonet.
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  • gary wray
    Came to this post late. What a great looking RIA bayonet/scabbard! If you could find a correct early Springfield '03 (why waste it on a wall hanger?)and mount this on it, you would have a collectors dream. But if you take the advice of "polishing' it, you will ruin it for collectors value. Right now as a set (bayo/scabbard) you are looking at something in the range of $300+ with the accent on the "plus." But we are in trying economic times and more of these closet items are showing up, driving the price down, but you nonetheless have a great combo and certainly worth keeping and matching up with a correct early Springfield rifle. If you could spring (no pun intended) for the correct rifle, with the two together, you would be looking at four digits for sure with the first digit close to a 3.
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  • TRAP55
    Contact Ralph here at http://www.worldbayonets.com/ and include pictures. He'll want close ups of the stampings. You'll get the whole history on it.
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