Gorgeous genoui with rhino horn hilt

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by TVV

My bayonet books are at home and I am stuck at work on MLK day (sigh), so I am not sure what it is, but it does not look like a Chassepot or Gras bayonet, which is what I would have expected given the strong French presence in this part of the world from the mid 19th to the mid 20th centuries. It could be from the Berthier-Mannlicher rifle (M1892), as the blade is obviously straight with a single, wide fuller. It most certainly is not from the Spanish long M1893 Mauser bayonet.
Now, the question is, has the French Foreign Legion ever been armed with Berthier-Mannlicher rifles? If the answer is yes, then maybe we have identified the blades.

Outstanding Teodor! You're doing pretty good from memory there!
I think we should consider not only the French we were obviously highly concentrated in the Sahara, and as you have considered, the Spanish, but through trade and other means the presence of British and German weaponry was also prevalent.

All the best,
Jim

[Emanuel]

Since the term "genoui" is attributed to these daggers, would Italian blades be possible sources, or is the term just an anachronism from an older period when the Maghrib did trade with the Genoese?

Emanuel

[TVV]

Manolo,
As you noted and I completely agree with you, they can be from anything. The only requirement is that whatever was shortened, should have somehow made its way to the Maghreb.
Here is a picture of a Bertheir bayonet from Richard Abbenbroek's web site, where he has uploaded pictures of various bayonets from his collection. Look at the peculiar discontinuation in the fuller towards the base of the blade - it seems that the same feature is present on Charle's genoui, so his must be made from such a bayonet for sure.


Of course, other bayonets, and not only blades, were also used. I have a shula dagger with a scabbard mouth made from a bayonet scabbard.
Regards,
Teodor

[Emanuel]

Hi Teodor,

I agree with you completely that the Berthier bayonet could very likely be the source of the blade for this dagger. My remark was meant at the general use of imported blades.
I still find it interesting that these blades were fitted with such a prestige material as rhino horn. I will try to find the other genoui I have seen, perhaps Moroccans appreciated the Berthier highly and saw it as a prestige blade as well...

Cheers!
Emanuel

[Jim McDougall]

Very good suggestion Emanuel, and it is true that the Italian trade indeed did produce considerable influence from early times in the Maghreb and throughout the North African littoral. It seems that there have been strong suggestions that the distinctly shaped pommel of the koumiyya derives from the pommel shape of the Italian cinqueda. In those early times such weapons might have come from either Genoa or Venice, both city states who were fiercely competitive for trade.
I wonder if the possible reference to Genoa, might have been used in other weapons in Maghreb regions as well, much as Emanuel suggests in the same parlance as 'firangi' in India, loosely meaning 'foreign'.

I am inclined to think that Italian bayonets would likely not be included, at least from colonial presence in the Sahara, but since they were of course present in East Africa, the profound trade may account for some possibility.

We gotta get the bayonet books!

All best regards,
Jim

[Jim McDougall]

Excellent Teodor!! I just saw your post. Since I'm way not up on bayonets, I am presuming the Berthier is French ? It looks c.1890's to WWI, would that be right? What type rifles were these used on? Foreign Legion?

Thank you for posting this.

All best regards,
Jim