What is going on with this 1907 Australian |
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RichardSuhkoi
Groupie Joined: February 22 2021 Location: Montreal Status: Offline Points: 26 |
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Posted: March 02 2021 at 12:50pm |
Hi Everyone,
I went to sell this Australian bayonet and when I look at the stamps I can’t make sense of this all. The cipher I’m sure is a GR, but the date stamp looks like 1917, then under the WILKINSON it looks like there was something lightly stamped. I see what might be a vise jaw mark? Wait, I just realized that sling George V is correct for 1917. So this leaves only the mystery illegible marks under Wilkinson and also if anyone recognizes the marks by the X. Another question is this came with a MANGROVITE 43 scabbard. How much of a mismatch is that considered? Is it legit to have a later scabbard? The blade appears that it never saw service and there’s no rifle number on it. No idea what the little marks are by the bend proof mark. So I throw the mystery out to the bayonet people.
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Zed
Special Member Donating Member Joined: May 01 2012 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 5585 |
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Wilkinson is a British manufacturer; not Australian. It was made in November 1917.
Adjacent to the X are inspection marks and the broad Arrow acceptance mark of the military. I suspect it was refinished after WW1 due to the surface finish. Can't make out the partial stamp below Wilkinson. Unless someone has tried to efface the original manufacturer's name and re-stamp it. Not sure an FTR would bother with that. I expect a more qualified member will maybe be able to offer more info. Welcome to the forum!
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It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice!
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A square 10
Special Member Donating Member Joined: December 12 2006 Location: MN , USA Status: Offline Points: 14452 |
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as stated british mfgr but may well have served in austrailia but i see nothing to indicate that , definite WWI bayo that was refurbed between the wars , as noted the finish tells us that as these were in the white when made ,
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RichardSuhkoi
Groupie Joined: February 22 2021 Location: Montreal Status: Offline Points: 26 |
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RichardSuhkoi
Groupie Joined: February 22 2021 Location: Montreal Status: Offline Points: 26 |
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still struggling with photos but yes, this must be a refurbished bayonet.It has the WWII grips and the black wash I just learned was a standard finish for WWII. The blade is perfect including the edge, it has no rifle number, but has usage dings where the dovetail is. My friend told me he is confident the light stamped letters at bottom are PALL MALL.
This is bayonet CSI, I love it.
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smerdon42
Senior Member Joined: February 20 2018 Location: Natick MA Status: Offline Points: 455 |
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does it have an extra hole near the lug on the back if so it stayed with British forces they drillled an extra lube point in theirs the Aussies didn’t
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RichardSuhkoi
Groupie Joined: February 22 2021 Location: Montreal Status: Offline Points: 26 |
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it does have a hole. Mind you when I look at various Australian examples on eBay, some have holes, even a 1943.
Not sure what that implies.
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A square 10
Special Member Donating Member Joined: December 12 2006 Location: MN , USA Status: Offline Points: 14452 |
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FWIW , those slaz scales were extensively used in refurb , so that may account for it if refurbed in austrailia , they were readily available some time back as well , i actually bought a set a decade ago or so , could have been fitted to it at any time ,
the mangrovite scabbard did not necessarily get assigned to that blade in service , they were assigned whatever was available in the supply chain at the time , also anyone might have paired these over the years , markings on the blade itself would be looked at differently tho , but again i see nothing there , save possible refinish [that the austrailians did do between the wars] to indicate use there , a military district mark , or an identifiable unit marking , is there anything on the hilt ? but again , they did use most anything available at the time so who knows ?
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AussieShooter
Senior Member Joined: April 14 2019 Location: Chicago, IL Status: Offline Points: 343 |
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I want to pick up this thread and pursue the Mangrovite 43 stamps. I noticed many, many scabbards are dated ‘43 and I wonder if there is any evidence suggesting scabbards were “bulk manufactured” or at least disproportionately manufactured in 1943?? There seems to be a lot of them.
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"Corruptissima re publica plurimae leges" - Tacitus
The more corrupt the state, the more it legislates |
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Shamu
Admin Group Logo Designer / Donating Member Joined: April 25 2007 Location: MD, USA. Status: Offline Points: 17603 |
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Mine has the hole, but I don't think its for lube! There's nothing there to lube its just a hole drilled all the way through?
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Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Zed
Special Member Donating Member Joined: May 01 2012 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 5585 |
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the hole is to clean the dirt out of the lock.
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It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice!
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Shamu
Admin Group Logo Designer / Donating Member Joined: April 25 2007 Location: MD, USA. Status: Offline Points: 17603 |
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That's what I read. Makes far more sense as the hole goes past the front of the "track" where the bayonet lug slides in.
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Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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A square 10
Special Member Donating Member Joined: December 12 2006 Location: MN , USA Status: Offline Points: 14452 |
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yup a later model , the early ones didnt have that ,
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devrep
Senior Member Joined: October 28 2020 Location: florida Status: Offline Points: 625 |
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I have 2 Australian 1907's. neither have "Australia" stamped on the scales. both have SLAZ on the scales as most I've seen photos have.
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double gun
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A square 10
Special Member Donating Member Joined: December 12 2006 Location: MN , USA Status: Offline Points: 14452 |
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i think you will find that most production was maximized in or about 43 , i think that accounts for the abundance of items dated 43 , just my opinion tho ,
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