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Detail 1

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Soldiers often returned from wars with "trophies," or souvenirs, such as this German-manufactured bayonet. We can often read the history of a military item by examining its many marks, each one stamped upon the metal at the beginning of a new war. Though this bayonet was originally made in the 19th century, it traveled to Argentina (perhaps for use in the Spanish American War?) before crossing the Atlantic at least two more times! The blade is treated with a carbolic wax, which has an odor similar to a box of crayons. This bayonet was taken from a German soldier during WWII, brought back to Ashfield, Massachusetts, and is owned by the Pichette family.

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