100% original authentic antique Item: This is a very hard bayonet to find. It’s from the Australian Lithgow Armory. It is dated 1917 but was still in service during WW1 and it was fit into a MANGROVITE made scabbard, which is also very hard to find today.

The blade markings on this example are clearly visible, with 1917, a shield, under the Australian Commonwealth 7-sided star. The left ricasso is marked LITHGOW, indicating manufacture at the Lithgow Arsenal in 1917. Later bayonets would bear the marking MA. On the other ricasso it is stamped with the seven-pointed Commonwealth Star around "A" for Australian government acceptance. There is also the large 'X' blade bending mark. 

Lithgow Pattern 1917 bayonets were numbered to rifles on the pommel. The pommel is marked 76015. There is no "R" on the hilt spine of this example, so it does not appear to have been refurbished for use in the 1950s. Blade condition is very good, and it still has a good amount of the original finish. Grip panels show wear, as expected on

a bayonet of this age. The soldier also carved his initials into it.

The bayonet comes in a WWII Australian Number 1 Type II brown leather scabbard in excellent condition. The scabbard locket and chape retain most of their original phosphate finish. The leather body of the scabbard is stamped MANGROVITE, A Sydney-area tannery, Mangrovite Belting Pty. Ltd. was in operation from 1913 until the 1990s.

This is a great chance to get an original Australian bayonet to complement a Lithgow-manufactured SMLE, or to complete an SMLE bayonet collection. Bayonets such as this do not turn up often at all.

Specifications:

Blade Length: 17"

Blade Style: Fuller on both sides

Overall length: 21 3/4"

Crossguard: 2 1/2”

Scabbard Length: 17 7/8”

Thanks for your interest and happy days to you and yours.