Belgian M 1916/17 Gendarmerie 'T' blade bayonet ( ABCN1092-2)(K340)(JN17-4)

Belgian made FN Mauser Carbine M 1916. No serial number. Excellent altered and stove blackened French M 1874 Gras T-back blade with faint French blade makers name and date on the blade spine. Excellent bright finished pommel and straight crossguard with large muzzle ring. MRD 17.5 mm. T-slot in pommel. Small C in a circle marking on crossguard. Excellent wooden grips secured to the blade tang by two screw bolts and washers. 
Excellent blackened M 1916 scabbard with an oval frog stud with no dents.

Rare bayonet, called a "Gendarmerie model" and used by both the Gendarmerie and the Infantry. These were made from old Belgian M 1882 Garde Civique and French M 1874 Gras T blades during WWI in France. This one is made from a M 1874 Gras blade and is in an Excellent condition.

Hilt is made out of one piece of steel which was the second model and this was done in 1917 ( M 1916/17) It has a large MRD.17,4 mm. The first model: M 1889/16, was made out of separate parts, welted together.  The M 1916 and M 1916/17  were made during The Great War in France by Belgium sword makers.
A great many were later bushed to a MRD of 15,4 mm (M 1916/35) to fix a Mauser FN 1935 rifle and used during WWII. This one escaped.