You are familiar with the Collins bayonet for Navy Sharps rifle, yes?
Here we see the saber bayonet for use on the Sharps and Hankins Navy model .56-52-caliber rifles (some 6,300 made). There is a record of a number of these being issued to US Navy ships during the Civil War. Some 25.25-inches overall, the blade is 20.25 of that.
The bayonet has a steel blade with a ribbed cast-brass grip and cross-guard. The blade is stamped with an anchor and 1861 on the obverse ricasso and Collins & Co / Hartford / Conn on the reverse. The cross-guard is also stamped with an anchor. The flat of the grip is stamped 503 while the obverse cross-guard is stamped 4.C.8.
Better known for their axes and agriculture implements, Collins & Co turned to the manufacturing of swords and bayonets at the outbreak of the American Civil War. They contracted with the firearms companies to produce bayonets compatible with the new models of rifles.
The rare Sharps and Hankins, with its bayonet via RIA
Collins also made saber bayonets for the Navy’s Plymouth rifle (10,000 made) as well as socket bayonets for the M1855/63 Springfield rifles during the Civil War.
Gunderson has one of the Collins Hankins & Sharps bayonets up for grabs (example seen below) while RIA had a rare Sharps & Hankins Navy model carbine up at auction recently, complete with a portion of its leather barrel guard.
