Hi I've just found your forum in my attempt to obtain a copy of butons 1853 bayonet fencing manual. Can anybody help?

Thanks, Nigel Plum

Think you mean "A Complete System of Bayonet Exercise". This, in first edition, recently sold at Christies for $US21,450 including buyers' premium. For details, please see the link above. If you do a Google search for that name you'll find a lot of reprints available.

Got a photo-copied version from the royal armouries in Leeds in the post yesterday. How's that for service

Impressive. Could you tell me how you accomplished that as I would like to get a copy for my self.

I have a small collection of bayonet fencing stuff, are there any other good web sites for more info on the subject?

I am seeking documentation for the often repeated assertion that Burton's bayonet drill manual was sold in large numbers to European authorities and it was adopted by the Horse Guards. I would guess that the number printed was around 250 to 500 and as with a few other Burton titles many may have gone unsold. Any leads on this will be appreciated.

Yes, Penzer says: "This is probably the rarest of all Burton's books, and forms one of the most important works on the bayonet ever published, and to it can be traced the change in the systems of bayonet drill adopted in most European countries. I believe I am correct in saying that until about ten years ago it was impossible to find any work on the subject that was not based on Burton's work. Large numbers (sic) of it were purchased by foreign army authorities (particularly German)."

Penzer does not provide any basis for these statements and was sometimes overly prejudiced in Burton's favour. Nevertheless it remains a constant of Humanity that our real heroes are usually unsung.

We saw that one copy come up at the Christie auction last year (Keynes collection) and virtually no others seem to have surfaced. This is a puzzle if Penzer's statements are correct.

Penzer, Norman M., An Annotated Bibliography of Sir Richard Francis Burton K.C.M.G. Burt Franklin, NY.

A Complete System of Bayonet Exercise is now on line on the site of my Historical martial arts club, Schola Gladiatoria. I'm hoping to add to the bayonet stuff. I've got Huttons two manuals & I'm after Anthony Gordon 1805 & Henry Angelo 1860 (I think) although I've not seen either they are available. So I hopefully I'll work it up into a proper article on C19th British bayonet training eventually.

The next problem is getting the equipment for safe sparring!

http://www.fioredeiliberi.org/intro/