M1842 Bayonet Information

[Odentheviking]

Need some information on how rare and what different styles of original M1842 Bayonets are out there.
As a kid hanging out with my older relatives, I was allowed to go to the gun shop...... but not to buy! So I started a bayonet collection. Back then most gun shops had a wooden barrel in the corner, and a old socket bayonet or two in the bottom.
I was looking on an auction sight to get an idea what an original M1842 bayonet is going for these days, a friend needs one for his reenacting. The prices were very much the same, then I came across one that sold for over $10,000.00! It looked very much like the others but that the patina was a little more gray.

Is there some rare style of 1842 bayonet and I am just missing the difference? Here are a few pictures of mine, Far left has a deep "US" stamp and another stamp below it, middle has smaller shallow "US", and far right may be a very nice reproduction. In one pic there is a M1822 bayonet far left just for comparison of the blade base shape. My understanding was that the 1842 base and m1822 and M1861 bases were different.
Thanks for any and all information.
http://s720.photobucket.com/user/tiger_rifles/library/Trader-Trapper

 

[Odentheviking]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Model-1842-...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Here is the auction that has me wondering!

 

[Artificer]

The link did not work for me, not sure if it works for anyone else?

Gus

 

[hawkeye2]

Me either.

This site can’t be reached

www.no’s server DNS address could not be found.

 

[Odentheviking]

It seems this ended auction was so old that it just fell off the auction site.
So my question still stands. Has anybody seen or heard of a M1842 bayonet that would sell for over $10,000?
From the very poor pictures posted it just seemed to be a slightly rusted, poss. repro 1842 bayonet.
My guess is was someone trying to create a buyers frenzie!

 

[Zonie]

To anyone and everyone.

Posting links to auctions is against the Forum rules.

Because so many people have ignored this rule, the Forum computer is now programmed to block any link that might lead to an auction or other forums.

You can still link to businesses, information and other kinds of places but auctions are not among them.

 

[Odentheviking]

sorry Jim! I was thinking since it was a closed auction, and just for reference it might be fine.
Here is my point........ As for US made socket bayonets, there are two basic blade bases. The wide base or what some call "rattle snake head" used mostly before 1850's, and the angled or "gardener snake head" found on the M1855 and some of the remakes. If you look at the picture I posted, the M1842's are all rattle snake head, and the M1816 is a gardener snake head,( because this M1816 was made in the 1850's when many flintlock M1816's were being converted to percussion). I have seen a gardener snake head on a M1842 bayonet, they are rare by still don't bring more than about $200.
So why did a M1842, rattle snake head go for over $10,000 in an auction?