This example was made in 1900 by the German firm Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co. of Solingen.

Most have aluminum alloy grips, like this example. Some have brass grips. There has been a lot of fiction spread regarding the brass grips being for the Navy, for NCO's, and the like. None of that is true. According to Webster's well-documented book on Argentine Military Rifles:

The aluminum grip scales were part of an effort to lighten the bayonet. The grip metal is an alloy of aluminum, with 6 percent copper.

Argentina opted for the 15.75 inch blade, after seeing that Chile was going to adopt a shorter (10-inch blade) bayonet for their Mausers. However, the prototype bayonets turned out heavier than the Argentines liked, so they made a number of design changes (thinner blade, slimmer hilt, and others).

They went ahead with the brass grip scales, initially, so as not to further delay production and switched to aluminum, mid-1893, after producing 40,000 brass grip bayonets.  190,000 aluminum grip bayonets were made, 1893-1901.

The "RA" inside an oval is an Argentine property mark, representing Republica Argentino. This replaced the earlier "E.N" Ejercito Nacional (National Army) property mark.

Most M1891 rifles and bayonets were exported to the USA in the 1950s and 1960s, when Argentine export laws required that the national crest be ground away before being sold.

The unusual trapezoidal muzzle ring is unique to this bayonet. Strange and unique mounting systems are a common characteristic of bayonets made for rifles that weren't originally intended to mount a bayonet.

M1891 Engineer's Carbines were created in the 1931, by adding sling swivels and a nose cap/bayonet lug to existing M1891 Cavalry Carbines.

The bayonet is a modified M1879 sword bayonet, formerly used with the 11.15 mm. M1879 Remington rolling-block rifle. This example was originally made by the firm of W. R. Kirschbaum of Solingen, Germany.

The workmanship on the bayonet conversion is quite good. However, the steel scabbard was crudely modified by cutting a section away and brazing the two ends together.

Ricasso: (right): "C 9373"

Crosspiece (face): "5"

Scabbard (body): "C 9373"

This example was made in 1910 by the firm Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co. of Solingen, Germany.

The first 3,000 M1909 bayonets had a low Mauser 98 type muzzle ring. These are scarce today. Most M1909 bayonets were made with the higher Mauser 91 style muzzle ring and used the Richhieri Adapter to allow interchange of bayonets between the M1891 and M1909 rifles.

W.K.C. produced approximately 170,000 bayonets from 1909-1912. A further 22,500 were made in Argentina 1947-1959.

Ricasso (right): "Modelo Argentino 1909" in arc over Argentine Crest over "B2943"

Pommel: "RA" inside an oval

Scabbard: "B2943" at top. "RA" inside an oval on ball finial.

Gen. Ricchieri was responsible for the introduction of Mauser rifles, mandatory military service, and the overall modernization of the Argentine Army in the latter years of the 19th Century. Gen. Ricchieri died in 1936.