REPRODUCTION

Reproduction items are made to be replicas of valuable or collectable bayonets. These are not meant to deceive collectors rather to allow them to have a representative item in their collection that would otherwise be beyond their means to have (or is very rare), or for re-enactors or film work. Most reproductions are of items that have intrinsic display appeal, and are of sword type blades or historic items.

Many of these will come back on the market as an attempt to deceive people into believing that they are the real thing, especially the early ones which now have a substantial amount of aging to them. Examples of this:

-British 1870 ELCHO

-British Naval Boarding

-British Farquhar

-US Dahlgren

-US Remington Socket

-UK Quillioned 1907

-UK Baker Sword

-UK Pritchard Green

- Sten Machine Carbine

- UK PORT FANNION

-UK 1903

-Various American Civil War blades

-German 84/98

UK 1870 ELCHO

Early versions of this reproduction were marked Elcho Pattern, on later versions this was changed but they are marked with a Scale over AC of Alex Coppell, this is spurious as although the Germans made versions of this blade none are known to be made by Coppell. All of these reproductions come without scabbards, although real blades with scabbards are also hard to come by.

1870 Elcho (reproduction)

UK 1859 NAVAL CUTLASS BAYONET

As is the case for many reproductions this again comes without a scabbard. The most noticeable thing to identify this as a reproduction is the poor quality of manufacture, particularly the fit of items such as springs, buttons etc. Some of the fakes avaialbe in the 70's are marked  as made by J.E. Bleckmann, Solingen, with their logo (thanks Steve)

Hilt of Naval Boarding cutlass bayonet

UK PRITCHARD GREEN -Reproduction

Since the originals were made from converted French Gras bayonets the scabbard and blades of these reproductions have wear typical of the originally made blades, the give away here is the brass hilt and the leather frog, as well as the availability as these are very rare. Some blades were made from old stock by the factory but these typically do not have locking latches or serial numbers. Note that originals were also made with with alloy or steel hilts

Pritchard Bayonet

Bayonet attached to revolver

UK BAKER SWORD -Reproduction

This Reproduction ahs a scabbard but it is clearly modern made as the leather does not show the age that it should for a nearly 200 year old item. My example shows the effects of "shrinkage" with gaps around the brass fittings that would not be there in the original item, however the leather does not show the stiffening that the amount of shrinkage would indicate. The general condition of the blade shows poor manufacture however these blades were made for Indian use and it could be one of these. 

Baker 2nd Pattern Bayonet, this is a modern fake

Hilt markings on Baker are typical of the real markings found on Period pieces

UK FARQUHAR HILL  

An experimental semi automatic rifle trialed during the 20's used a reduced length 1907 pattern bayonet and scabbard. Fakes of this are available although often mis identified as fighting knives etc. the blade may have the wrong dates to be correct for the trial (should be pre 1924), and are typically 5mm short of the actual length of the true blade (165mm). Uses a cut down 1907 scabbard

Cut down 1907  Farquhar Hill Fake

UK STEN MACHINE CARBINE

Many were made very few were issued and the rest were scrapped at the factory. I've not seen any information regarding the large numbers of these now available in the original packing but am very sceptical about them, and although mine is quite old I do not believe it to be anything other than a fake due to the lack of markings on it normally B&J.S. Ltd. I would appreciate any information on these

STEN Gun

Sten trials bayonet, this is is a modern copy and not one of the two known examples. There are no official drawings of the item and it may be possible that the originals were made at the local level for a commando unit as they apparently had a wish for a blade.

Sleeve fits over the jacket sleeve and is locked into place using the knurled screw. Very well made copy, however since there is only one known then it shouldn't become a problem to collectors who have even a basic knowledge

UK 1907 QUILLION

Repro version of the UK 1907 with quillion, markings are completely spurious it even has a 1914 date which places it after they stopped making quillion equipped bayonets. Heavily blued finish is not correct for any WWI period UK issue

USA 1861 DAHLGREN

Reproduced originally in the 70's the first versions of these had made in Japan in the hilt slot which is an obvious give away, later versions had improved markings. My example came as a "pattern" buy for less than a tenth of the cost of a real item. I am not sure of how to identify the fakes other than by price as I have never had access to an original blade

Dahlgren bayonet for Naval M1861 rifle

USA Remington -Reproduction

Made primarily for re-enactors it is the newness of the scabbard that shows this to be a fake.

Replica of Remington Socket

GERMAN CRANKHANDLE 

A WWI Ersatz bayonet that is a common fake. The markings, the frog  and the frog press stud are all incorrect Original versions were painted grey in general fakes are blued. The press stud should  have indentations in the top, the fakes have modern unmarked press studs (very easy identifier), the fake has a much longer frog than the fake as well

Duisberg Demag (fake)