18th Century Spanish Plug Bayonet

18th Century Spanish plug bayonet made from a cut down 1728 Bilbo Spanish military rapier. A 32cm flattened diamond section blade stamped with S.A. D. I. 1791. It includes the mark of of the Spanish royal armouries. With the other side stamped for King Charles IV, this dates the blade to 1791 and the start of the Penisular war

Commonly used as hunting weapons after long after they had been replaced as military weapons, they were still inn use in Germany and Spain until the 19th century

The Spanish were one of the first European countries to adopt specific standardisation for their military swords. They were authorised by the Royal Ordinance of the 12th of July of 1728 for all Cavalry of the Spanish Empire