Long ago, a buddy of mine, George (Chips) Hensel noticed a bayonet on another friends table at a Missouri Valley show that had a nitrate blue blade. It had an 1894 date and was in a mint early hook scabbard, that was a second model with the square cornered throat.
The bayonet was pretty mint and only had a little wear from the new owner who was slipping the mint blade in and out of the scabbard in the wrong direction and off center of the offset internal spring guide that was meant to fit into the blade groove.
the guy who had just bought it from someone at the show didn't know the significance of the bayonet.
while talking to my buddy, he continued to slide the blade in and out of the scabbard, causing wear on the bayonet as they spoke.
Finally George just reached over and took the bayonet and scabbard away from the other fellow to stop the desecration of the blade, which was otherwise minty.
George got the bayonet and scabbard for $150.00 and later sold it to our friend Bill Mook for I believe $500.00. That was back in the 1980’s.
Bill was overjoyed.
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