Information about this scabbard

These large straight scabbards are all made with heavy black lacquered leather bodies and sheet brass mounts.  The round brass ball finial tip is unique to this type.  Although these scabbards are straight they are used with bayonets with curved blades.  

The throat is open to the edges of the mount and the leather body is exposed.  To strengthen the weaknesses of the previous variations, two modifications occurred.  First, the frog stud/loop was replaced with a 25 mm angular shaped piece of brass with a slot for the frog strap on one side and the other side was brazed to the throat mount.   Secondly, the copper rivets holding the mounts to the leather are much larger then the earlier variations.  There are still two rivets, front and back, on both throat and tip mounts.  

Three different throat mount lengths have been recorded; 77, 82 and 87 mm.  The width has been consistent at 46 mm.  The tip mount is 118 mm long and 38 mm wide.  The overall length is approximately 590 mm long.  One example has been recorded that was 575 mm overall length.  The reason for the lenght variations is unknown. 

The example pictured is one that was found in unused condition. 

Information from other sources

Albert N. Hardin, The American Bayonet 1776 – 1964, "There are two basic scabbards issued with these arms, differing only only in their frog retaining devices.  Due to the nature of the frog design, the scabbard with the flat rectangular attachment is considered the earliest scabbard, and those equipped with the more common, round button attachment are regarded as later models." 

Speculation and questions