Jump to content

I.C. mark on 1855 bayonet "Inspected and Condemned"


 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi Folks,

I bought this Type I Springfield 1855 socket bayonet. (I don't have it yet). It is marked with I.C. I went on a Civil War forum and they determined it was an Inspected and Condemned mark.

I have a photo of a Springfield rifle with the same mark. The website with the rifle says it was a Massachusetts contract rifle and had an "inspected and condemned" mark. The mark is so similar that the bayonet might very well be from the same contract and in fact, the same die might have been used.

 

I was wondering if anyone here might have seen other items from the ACW that is also marked this way. Maybe field equipment or uniforms or swords etc.

Thanks.

Marv

 

post-26996-0-83932700-1514652703_thumb.jpg

post-26996-0-99670700-1514652725.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

An interesting "I.C" marking. I notice that the "I' and "C" are separated by a single period and the die consists of plain block letters. The "U-S" marking is separated by a dash and the die stamp consists of sans-serif letters as one would normally expect to see on CW period bayonets. The US Ordnance manual states that arms that fail Federal inspection should be marked with a "C" for condemned. These condemned items were rejected for Federal service and were returned to the manufacturer. They could not be used to fulfill Federal Government contracts but could be used for parts or sold commercially by the manufacturer. Therefore, they could wind up as State Militia arms. I just bought a "CONN" Militia marked Model 1840 Light Artillery saber made by Ames that has no Federal inspector markings at all. Was this sword simply never submitted for Federal inspection or was it marked as condemned and that marking subsequently removed by the maker? Hard to tell the sequence of events from the existing markings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

For those of you who are not blade guys. I posted some interesting info on the Edged Weapons forum.

 

Here's the link to my edged weapons post: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/303274-1855-cw-bayonet-ic-marked-inspected-and-condemned/ My post there has Flayderman explaining that the company S.Norris & WT Clemments used I.C barrels in the contract.

 

Marv

post-26996-0-10816200-1515858372_thumb.jpg

post-26996-0-08447500-1515858389.jpg

post-26996-0-78486400-1515858437_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe it stands for "Inspected/Condemned". It was used when an item in the inventory was declared obsolete or unserviceable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...