VERY RARE**1913-1914 Crawford Smuggling Operation, Irish U.V.F**1883 Dated, French Model 1874 Gras Sword Bayonet By St Étienne Arsenal With Red Hand Of Ulster Grip Stamp Period Converted To Fit Smuggled Mauser G88 Rifles & Scabbard. Sn 21745 Bayonets

**VERY RARE**1913-1914 Crawford Smuggling Operation, Irish U.V.F**1883 Dated, French Model 1874 Gras Sword Bayonet By St Étienne Arsenal With Red Hand Of Ulster Grip Stamp Period Converted To Fit Smuggled Mauser G88 Rifles & Scabbard. Sn 21745 - 21745

The Larne gun-running was a major gun smuggling operation organised in April 1914 in Ireland by Major Frederick H. Crawford and Captain Wilfrid Spender for the Ulster Unionist Council to equip the Loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). Other smuggling operations also secured weapons for the UVF). Smuggled UVF weapons usually bear the Red Hand Of Ulster symbol. This is an original French Gras Sword bayonet for the Model 1874 Gras rifle, the successor of the Chassepot period converted to fit smuggled UVF German Mauser G88 Commission Rifles (the G88 rifle illustrated in the images is not included but is available separately on this website stock number Sn 9727. The rifle is not UVF marked. The bayonet fits the rifle perfectly). The bayonet has a straight, clean 20 ¾” ‘T section’ blade. The back of the blade is dated 1883 and is marked by the manufacturer ‘Manuf D’Armes De St. Étienne’. The slab wood grips are undamaged. One scale is impressed with the UVF roudel, Red Hand Of Ulster and ‘For God And Ulster’. It has a hooked quillon which is secured with two rivets and muzzle ring. It has a brass pommel and a steel push button release which operates smoothly. The cross guard has small inspection marks and is numbered ‘97324’. It is complete with its original steel scabbard which has un-matching number (see White & Watts Item No 201, pages 84 & 94 for model 1874 bayonets). The price for this very rare UVF piece includes UK delivery. Sn 21745

£695.00