http://christian.mery.pagesperso-orange.fr/1874gras.htm for those that are more interested in facts...
yep. seems the demand for this model was so high - even Austria was interested - that they started to fabricate it in Paris beside the three original places.
why ? they started to think about it in 1884, gave it a project name e.g. "fat bayonet also usable as sabre 1884", the state had to ask the treasurer, the army, the lametta - then they sketched a model, then it was tested etc. - the normal rattail, still the same in production industry today. in 1886 they had a kickoff meeting with the producer to make a few 1000 for the last review and if okay off they went.
Sorry Fid..perhaps I am misunderstanding. the original post was 1884 but then you attached all the information which stated 1874 and the bayonet actually is dated 1876 which is before 1884. I'm not concerned..only a little confused thanks