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Remembered Today:

A Wilkinson P.1903 but 1902 dated and pommel marked 41.D


trajan

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A dealer friend in Turkey sent me details of this which I know will be of interest to others on GWF. It was in a sale that closed last week (and I suspect he had me in mind as a potential buyer!). See: http://www.warstuff.com/RARE-1902-TRIALS-PATTERN-1903-Sword-Bayonet-Date-i1556216.htm, from where these photographs are taken and reproduced for reference purposes...

So, that is what this is! A Wilkinson P.1903 bayonet with a '12/02' date, and so presumably a 'Trial' version... It is pommel-marked to '41.D', and came with a 1905-dated Naval scabbard. Interesting piece!

post-69449-0-08463500-1421847019_thumb.j post-69449-0-24739700-1421847031_thumb.j post-69449-0-84451200-1421847047_thumb.j

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That did cross my mind but the rather sketchy crown doesn't match any of the ER (VII) marked P.1888's that I have.

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That is a very strange crown - almost a cross between the styling of the QVC version it replaced and the later standard version:

Typical 1888 bayonet crown:

http://angloboerwarmuseum.com/images/boer/mem_misc/bayo_date.jpg

Typical 1903 bayonet crown:

http://angloboerwarmuseum.com/images/boer/mem_misc/bayo_03_date.jpg

If the date is right, maybe a late production 1888 blade "blank" ultimately made into the new pattern? Or just a new 1903 blade made in preparation for the change?

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will be back home in a couple of hours & will check my P03s but from what I can see it looks to have an indian inspectors mark & nearly sure 1 of my indian examples made from an 1888 blade also has a similar crown & lack of VR or ER

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Julian,

just checked both my Iindian P03s & 2 brit examples, crown looks very similar to the indian example made with recycled 99 dated P88 blade with remaining crown & certainly looks like an IG inspectors mark.

Will try & get some clear pics tomorrow in the natural light,

Aleck

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It was originally a P1888 blade made by Wilkinson in 1902, then later converted into P1903 form in India (note the 'Ishapore crown' stamped on the ricasso).

It also shows the later period IG/22 inspection mark which is Indian as well. Looks like a British P1903 scabbard made in 1905, with the N for Naval service.

Cheers, S>S

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It was originally a P1888 blade made by Wilkinson in 1902, then later converted into P1903 form in India (note the 'Ishapore crown' stamped on the ricasso).

It also shows the later period IG/22 inspection mark which is Indian as well. Looks like a British P1903 scabbard made in 1905, with the N for Naval service.

Cheers, S>S

This would be my interpretation also.

In fact I believe I have one very similar somewhere.

Chris

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HaHaHa. :lol: I just read the description offered in that Link shown in the OP. Where does all this information come from.? :rolleyes:

And to reinforce the point about the bayonet being Indian, here is a LINK to the regimental marking stamped on the pommel.

Cheers, S>S

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Ditto on the Indian converted P88 blade, that is why I am going to send pics in the morning to show the crown & Indian inspectors marks on my Indian P03s

Aleck

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just checked both my Iindian P03s & 2 brit examples, crown looks very similar to the indian example made with recycled 99 dated P88 blade with remaining crown & certainly looks like an IG inspectors mark.

It was originally a P1888 blade made by Wilkinson in 1902, then later converted into P1903 form in India (note the 'Ishapore crown' stamped on the ricasso).

It also shows the later period IG/22 inspection mark which is Indian as well.

Well done lads! I start by quoting these two posts as they were the first I came across today but have also noted your other comments and those of Andrew, LF and 4thG. I don't have and have never seen in the flesh one of these Indian examples, but I did think that crown was a bit strange, so good to know what it is. Also useful knowledge imparted from you all re: the inspector's markings - I have always thought that there is a gap in the literature on these...

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Well done lads! I start by quoting these two posts as they were the first I came across today but have also noted your other comments and those of Andrew, LF and 4thG. I don't have and have never seen in the flesh one of these Indian examples, but I did think that crown was a bit strange, so good to know what it is. Also useful knowledge imparted from you all re: the inspector's markings - I have always thought that there is a gap in the literature on these...

Trajan,

Thank you for bringing this ' British Trials bayonet ' price tag almost 500 pounds, to everyone's attention,

Regards,

LF

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LF,

Always happy to provide when things like this come up - and it has produced some useful discussion! I for one now have a vivid imprint in the grey matter of what an Indian crown looks like, and also Indian inspector markings...

I guess it wasn't bought by a GWF member as otherwise it would have been posted by now... If it went to some private chappie, well, caveat emptor applies - roughly translated as 'If it looks to good to be true then it is too good to be true!' If it went to a dealer then expect to see it marketed at around the GBP 750+ mark.

Trajan

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