Original U.S. Indian Wars Era Model 1873 Entrenching Tool Knife with U.S. Marked Leather Scabbard

Item DescriptionOriginal Item: Only One Available This is one of the finer examples of the rare US Model 1873 Entrenching Tool we have encountered! This tool/knife was adopted in 1873 and was mainly an entrenching tool (rather than a knife). It was used on the plains during the Indian Wars. It was a very light flat-bladed tool and was short-lived; it evolved into the heavier US Model 1880/1890.Designed for use by theU. S.Cavalry during the 1870's, the M-1873 Entrenching Tool was produced at the Springfield Armory in high numbers. Issued with various model rifles, the M-1873 Entrenching Tool was specifically designed to be used for digging small entrenchments or scraping dirt to form a small, protective mound during battle.This is regarded as the first of the true issued Springfield Armory edged weapons, other than the sword or saber. Although the piece is fairly common, ones available in excellent condition are rare and highly sought after by collectors.The entrenching tool and scabbard are in excellent condition for their age. The 'blade' is in great condition with a majority of the metal still exhibiting its bright polished finish with only a few isolated spots of surface rust and staining, mostly near the tip. The ribbed wood handle is in excellent condition with all of the factory ribbing still intact and minor cracking/chipping present. The top of the handle, towards the 'crossguard' section of the E-Tool still retains a lovely 'U S' marking. The blade is marked1530and the scabbard1531, museum catalog numbers from long ago.The leather scabbard is in great condition, still exhibiting a gorgeous dark color to the boiled leather scabbard. The leather portion is in solid condition, and still retains its rigidity, with no stitching loss and no extensive damage present. The top left of the face of the scabbard still has a visible and lovelyUSstamp present and stickers with the number 57, possibly from a museum display. The brass hardware is complete and has a beautiful aged patina to it.This is a wonderful example of an item that has unfortunately been lost to time and does not surface very often. Comes ready for display!Specifications:Blade Length: 8'Blade Style: Wide Round TipOverall length: 12 3/4'Crossguard: 3 1/2'Scabbard Length: 8' inchesShipping RestrictionsThis product is available for international shipping.Payment OptionsEligible for all payments - Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Paypal & Sezzle