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Rare, British, Pattern 1903 Dress Bayonet Converted from a Pattern 1888 Mark III Bayonet for the Mk1 III Short Magazine Lee Enfield (SMLE) rifle. Sn - 22656 The P1903 design combined the P1888 blade and crosspiece with a new pommel design. Many P1888 Lee Metford bayonets were converted to the 1903 pattern. The P1903 had a short service life as the blade was considered not long enough, having less reach when combined with the shorter rifle. The P1903 was produced for British use from 1903–1907, at which time the P1907 was adopted. This is a good example of a Pattern 1903 bayonet which was converted from a Pattern 1888 long lee Enfield bayonet. The bayonet has traces of its original nickel plating which was used on parade bayonets. The 298mm double-edged blade retains its original bright finish. The blade has a flattened diamond cross-section with a raised medial ridge and terminates in a spear point. The ricasso bears an Enfield inspection stamp 2 ’97 (the original date the blade and bayonet were made for the Long Lee Enfield 1903 (the bayonet pattern). The hilt is stamped 2 CLY (The 2nd County of London Yeomanry) 483 (bayonet number). The ricasso is stamped with the War Department broad arrow, an Enfield inspection stamp and a X. Wilkinson maker’s mark, bend test stamp and inspection stamps. The obverse ricasso bears the crown stamp of King Edward VII, the pattern date, 1903 and the manufacture date of November 1902. This is a conversion from a P1888 bayonet to a P1903 carried out in England by the Enfield. The press-stud locking mechanism works perfectly and the wooden grip are in good period condition. The black leather scabbard is in good condition as is the steel chape and locket. The steel furniture retains a nice patina finish. This is an excellent example of this increasingly hard to find British P1903 bayonet. See Skennerton pages 181-184. The price includes UK delivery. (British Box 1) Sn 22656 £345.00
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