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  • Auction Catalog #77
  • Lot #1552
Lot #1551
Lot #1553

Lot 1552: Rare U.S. Springfield Model 1915 Bolo Bayonet

Extremely Rare U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1915 Experimental Bolo Bayonet for a U.S. M1903 Rifle

Auction Location: Rock Island, IL

Auction Date: September 7, 2019

Lot 1552: Rare U.S. Springfield Model 1915 Bolo Bayonet

Extremely Rare U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1915 Experimental Bolo Bayonet for a U.S. M1903 Rifle

Auction Location: Rock Island, IL

Auction Date: September 7, 2019

Estimated Price: $6,500 - $11,000
Price Realized:
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Extremely Rare U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1915 Experimental Bolo Bayonet for a U.S. M1903 Rifle

Manufacturer: None
Model: None
Type: Other
Gauge:
Barrel:
Finish:
Grip:
Stock:
Item Views: 4615
Item Interest: Active
Serial Number:
Catalog Page: 288
Class: Other
Description:

Developed in the early 20th century, the 1915 Bolo Bayonet was one of the U.S. Army's attempts at a hybrid weapon that could reduce the loadout an individual soldier had to carry into the field. Intended for use in jungle environments, the bolo could serve as both a bayonet and a brush clearing tool. Though the daylight bayonet charge was becoming a thing of the past, observers of WWI and the Russo-Japanese War noted the rise of the night attack and its resultant brutal hand-to-hand combat; the determination was made that a bayonet should be a fighting weapon and nothing more, and all the odd ducks and promising experiments were pulled from the field. Either destroyed or discarded as surplus, it is believed that only about fifty 1915 bolos remain. 21 inches overall, with a 15 3/4 inch blade dated "1916" on the left ricasso and marked "US/1324" on the right. Wood grips, with an "eagle beak" pommel and standard 1905-style locking hardware. Similar examples are illustrated in the book U.S. Military Knives, Bayonets and Machetes, Vol IV by Cole.

Rating Definition:

Fine, with mild spotting on the blade and light sharpening marks. The grips show some light dings and scuffs, with a mixed brown and gray patina on the guard and half of the faded original blue remaining on the pommel.



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