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**SCARCE**Iner War Era Collins & Co Legitimus No.18 “Fancy” Elefante / Elephant Pommel Machete With Correct Collins & Co Legitimus Scabbard. Sn 22962 - 22962 Collins of Hartford USA began making machetes in 1845 and always assigned model numbers serially; thus the No.18 models must have been introduced, say in 1847 or 1848 after eleven other machetes, one cane knife and five axes had been produced. The No. 18 had blade lengths of 12 inches, 14 inches, and 16 inches (and 18 inches on special order). According to a 1954 Cavalier magazine article: "An American trading sea captain was having a friendly drink in a cantina in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela when he chanced to show the proprietor a deadly-looking nine-and-a-half-inch, wide-bladed, double edged sheath knife he wore in his belt. 'Como se llama?' (what is it called?) asked the proprietor, greatly impressed. 'It's called a bowie knife. I picked it up in Texas,' explained the skipper. 'Un machete pequeno,' (a little machete) exclaimed the other enthusiastically and wanted one immediately. So did several others of the local citizenry. With an eye on trade the skipper took orders. When he put in at Puerto Cortes, Honduras, he took more orders. A lot of them for animal head pommel machetes. Then he sailed back to Hartford and went to the foundry. Collins agreed to turn out the 'little machete' and they have been doing it ever since. Now the foregoing may be apocryphal, but it makes a good story. Collins continued making the No. 18 model until it sold out in 1966. A 1936 Collins Catalogue advertised their “Fancy” Elefante / Elephant handle No. 18 Machete. Collins discontinued the fancy “animal” head Machetes before the outbreak of WW2 (see Chapter 12 of Collins Machetes and Bowies 1845-1965 by D.E Henry (page 160 of the book illustrates a no.18 Elefante / Elephant handle Machete the same as ours). This example of the Collins “Fancy” Elefante / Elephant handle No. 18 Machete most likely made in the inter war era is in very good condition and is complete with its original correct Collins scabbard. It is a large knife / Machete measuring 17 ¼” overall length and with undamaged chequered hard boiled leather grips secured by German silver rivets. It has the correct cast alloy re-curving cross guard. And ‘Fancy’ Elephant head pommel all undamaged. The drop point steel blade is 12” length with drop point and correct twin fullers. The blade is just under 1 ¾” broad at its widest and the spine is 5mm thick. The blade is very sharp and has staining consistent with age. The blade is marked with manufacturer’s mark ‘Collins & Co Hartford, Crown & trademark arm with hammer, Legitimus No.18’. It is accompanied by its original, correct, brown leather scabbard with riveted rear belt loop and brass chape with ball end. The scabbard has tooled decoration and matching manufacturer marks (illustrated). All leather and stitching of the scabbard are clean & intact. The price for this scarce Machete includes UK delivery. Sn 22962 (In Bowies box)
£545.00
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