USMC Commemorative Phrobis International

[Carlo]

A new entry in my collection!

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/401/69329268nx7.jpg

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/2070/90218674uu4.jpg

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/3066/44753798ed3.jpg

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/8158/93644980uh3.jpg

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/6942/95159988hl8.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/2415/50009671lh9.jpg

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/1651/65070562gz0.jpg

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/6586/51108582sv9.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/132/74504943ns5.jpg

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/7734/10wp7.jpg

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/1093/11hd0.jpg

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/9906/12tw0.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/3624/13sf5.jpg

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5830/14xr9.jpg

Does anyone have more information about this (only commercial) bayonet?
Looking at the pictures in this topic
http://www.quarterbore.net/forums/showthread.php?t=751
tha walnut case manufacture seems almost (or exactly) the same, so I suspect that this USMC commemorative was commissioned by Frankiln Mint.
I'm quite sure I never saw reference of this bayonet before, in any of the books I have.
Now wish me luck: this evening will have to start a real fight with my girlfriend (and soon wife), to persuade her to let me display this beauty in the living room.....:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[pwcosol]

Carlo: A very nice bayonet indeed. I have not seen any references to this particular one either, although I do not collect M9s of this type. Rather ironic it was made to honor the USMC when they never adopted the M9. However, thanks to The Corps long search for a new bayonet, finally resulting in adoption of the OKC-S3, many trials & limited production M9s were made for them, and now are actively sought by we collectors. Semper Fidelis!

[porterkids]

This is the first I have seen of this particular model. The case is identical to the Desert Storm Commemorative that you mentioned. I can't remember if these were put out by Franklin Mint or American Historical Foundation. I have an advertisement for the DS model somewhere. I'll have to try to locate it to confirm the original source. Several years ago I bought two M9 bayonets in these cases from someone in the Richmond, Virginia area. He couldn't provide any information on the pieces but I'm sure they came from the outfit that was marketing the DS Commemorative. One bayonet had gold fittings and the other silver. Neither had any blade etchings.

[Carlo]

Hello!
Thanks both for your comments.
There is something that I don't understand.
I made a quick search on the web and I found that the official emblem of the United States Marine Corps is like this
http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/9766/15233377kv2.jpg
and so you have the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor
Looks like someone forgot to add the globe to my bayonet, as I can't see it in the blade etchings!!!!:grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/6586/51108582sv9.jpg

[Mister Moon]

My dear Carlo , you can thank me for not having put bids on this object :grin: !

In fact .... i don't like the " Intel " product .... The real M9 was and is made by the U.S.A

[rexmeyer]

Ahh Carlo, so it was you that was bidding on this on Ebay...I was wondering who was.....Rex

[Carlo]

Ahh Carlo, so it was you that was bidding on this on Ebay...I was wondering who was.....Rex
Yes, it was me (obviously :wink: ) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was really impressed by the seller, nice, polite and despite being new to ebay not worried at all to ship the item internationally.

[lee cousens]

Hi Carlo
That would look lovely in my collection, very nice indeed, welldone my friend:smile:

[pwcosol]

Carlo: The Eagle & Anchor emblems on your bayonet are most likely generic, and were not meant to represent the actual Eagle, Globe, & Anchor of the USMC. I guess that was satisfied with the emblem attached to the grip. With the date etched on the blade, I am sure this bayonet was produced to recognize the creation (a.k.a. "Marine Corps Birthday" to all current & former Marines) of The Corps. I recall November 10 to always have been the best day of the year to eat dinner in the mess hall...steak & lobster! Although Marines in the field may not be as fortunate, every effort is extended to make it a special day for all. I noted the serial number on your M9 is "038". Unless other commemorative M9s were made within the same range (which seems unlikely since the serial is preceded bu "USMC"), there must be at least 37 more out there someplace...

[porterkids]

I've taken some photos of the two pieces I have but have exceeded my allowable space to upload photos. I've posted them to another FTP site and hopefully you will be able to view them. Fist picture is a copy of an ad from Military History magazine August 1991 for the DS commemorative. Second is a close up of the order form portion of the ad. I called AHF many years ago trying to get information on quantities produced and the possibility of them having back stock on any items but had no luck with either. Other pictures are the two cased M9s that I purchased. Looking back in my notes, they originally came from a person who had been a VP at AHF. The background in the two cases is dark green. Maybe these cases were made for an Army commemorative??

http://members.aol.com/porterkids/07260001.jpg

http://members.aol.com/porterkids/07260002.jpg

http://members.aol.com/porterkids/07260003.jpg

http://members.aol.com/porterkids/07260004.jpg

[Chris Johnson]

Carlo, I have one of these commemorative bayonets, it is identical to yours, but mine has no display box, nor is it “USMC numbered” like yours.

[Carlo]

Bill: thanks for the picture.
So the DS was commissioned by the AHF, not Franklin Mint!
I'm assuming the Franklin Mint "Desert Storm" I read about in a H. Brett note, was just a project, which ended in the Marto M9 bayonet, marked on the front ricasso with only "M9" and with a custom web assembly. No Desert Storm "markings" at all!!!!

I remember I saw in the Brett book a picture of a DS M9, similar to the one show in the magazine ad, but with the inscription "Operation Desert Shield".

[Carlo]

I noted the serial number on your M9 is "038". Unless other commemorative M9s were made within the same range (which seems unlikely since the serial is preceded bu "USMC"), there must be at least 37 more out there someplace...

Carlo, I have one of these commemorative bayonets, it is identical to yours, but mine has no display box, nor is it “USMC numbered” like yours.
Chris and Pwcosol,
what if the "USMC 038" inscription in my bayonet was just a custom logo?
I'm thinking about a USMC association who could have bought a small quantity of these commemoratives for the association members and asked to have the blade numbered.
This was an available option (priced at $ 19), according to the ad shown above.

[porterkids]

Bill: thanks for the picture.
So the DS was commissioned by the AHF, not Franklin Mint!
I'm assuming the Franklin Mint "Desert Storm" I read about in a H. Brett note, was just a project, which ended in the Marto M9 bayonet, marked on the front ricasso with only "M9" and with a custom web assembly. No Desert Storm "markings" at all!!!!

I remember I saw in the Brett book a picture of a DS M9, similar to the one show in the magazine ad, but with the inscription "Operation Desert Shield".


There is a Franklin Mint Desert Storm Commemorative. The bayonet itself does not have any DS markings. It was a plaque, similar to the Phrobios Chevron plaque. It has the flags of the coalition nations on it as well as some brass placards (I don't remember what is on them). This plaque had the Marto bayonet with only the "M9" marking on it. The overruns from this project are the bayonets with the modified scabbard.

The AHF commemorative was originally intended to be a Desert Shield commemorative, but Desert Shield quickly turned into Desert Storm and they changed the bayonet.

[porterkids]

Chris and Pwcosol,
what if the "USMC 038" inscription in my bayonet was just a custom logo?
I'm thinking about a USMC association who could have bought a small quantity of these commemoratives for the association members and asked to have the blade numbered.
This was an available option (priced at $ 19), according to the ad shown above.

I think the USMC 038 is a serial number. The DS pieces I have are numbered in the same location. I think the optional engraving option was for a name or unit designation to be engraved on the blade.

[Carlo]

I think the USMC 038 is a serial number. The DS pieces I have are numbered in the same location.

I first thought the same looking at the AHF Desert Storm here
http://www.quarterbore.net/forums/showthread.php?t=751
From the above pictures (top right) it is still possibile to see (part of) the production numbers inscription.
See also the last picture here
http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/28D-M9-OPERATION-DESERT-STORM-COMMEMORATIVE-BAYONET-b_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ28221QQitemZ662322635 7QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
But then I can not explain why Chris' commemorative has no serial number at all!!! :confused: :confused: :confused:

[Carlo]

There is something that I don't understand.
I made a quick search on the web and I found that the official emblem of the United States Marine Corps is like this
http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/9766/15233377kv2.jpg
and so you have the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor
Looks like someone forgot to add the globe to my bayonet, as I can't see it in the blade etchings!!!!:grin: :grin: :grin: :grin: :grin:
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/6586/51108582sv9.jpg

I just received an interesting email regarding the missing globe from the blade etchings.
Here is part of it:

"Carlo -
I was founder, owner and president of The American Historical Foundation when we issued the Armed Forces Bayonets of Honor.
The round symbols etched on the blade are the early (1800's) design of the USMC symbol. This is, since then and until present, the symbol used on the buttons of the USMC dress uniform."

Mystery solved!!!!!!
P.S. For those interested. I was informed that the American Historical Foundation was sold in September 2005 and the firearms division remained under the American Historical name. The knife division is now operating as EK Knife Company.
Take a look at their nice bayonets
www.EkKnife.com