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British Knives and Bowies

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Victorian Joseph Haywood & Company Glamorgan Works Sheffield Folding Bowie With brass Fittings & Open Top Scabbard. Sn 22244 - 22244
Sheffield born Joseph Haywood was first listed in a directory in 1845 as a merchant and steel, file, edge-tool, saw, and cutlery manufacturer in Victoria Street. The business moved to Livingstone Works, Holly Street, and then to Garden Street, from where a silver mark was registered in 1880. The workshops were soon moved to Glamorgan Works, Little Pond Street. Haywood traded as a ‘general merchant’ in cutlery, partly through a London office at No. 56 Holborn Viaduct. Pocket, sportsman’s, and budding knives were staple lines, though the firm also made By 1881, according to the Census, he employed 165 workers (101 men, 41 women, and 23 boys). In 1902, the firm’s marks, goodwill, and stock of electro-plate and premium sportsman’s knives were offered for sale (Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 18, 19 March 1902). The goodwill and marks of the business at Glamorgan Works, Pond Street, were sold for £660. The purchasers were Needham, Veall & Tyzack and Thomas Turner & Co, who purchased them co-jointly. This is an excellent Victorian era Bowie made at Joseph Haywood & Company at their Glamorgan Works. The 8” long, steel blade with medial ridge and drop point has chequered Walnut scales secured by German Silver pins. It has brass bolsters at the cross guard, swivelling hinged 2 bar finger guard secured to the blade shank by a single pin allowing movement of the cross guard as normally found on folding Bowies and brass lined steel frame. The blade shank, on one side is crisply signed by the maker ‘Joseph Haywood & Company Glamorgan Works Sheffield’. The polished steel blade has just light age related staining. The blade is released for closing by depression of a German Silver button on one of the grip scales. Open the knife is 12 ½” overall length, closed 9 ½”. Its original bucket type brown leather scabbard has a German Silver Throat mount with German Silver hanging ring. All leather & stitching of the scabbard are clean & intact. The price for this excellent Victorian folding Bowie includes UK delivery. Sn 22244 (drawers office)
£575.00

SOLD SOLD (08/11) **RARE**WW2 British WD Commando/ SOE / Special Forces Smatchet & WW2 1944 WD ME Co (Mills Equipment Company) Webbing Covered Wood Scabbard. Sn 22249 - 22249
In many respects the WW2 British Special Forces Smatchet is one of the most mysterious British issue knives of the period. Its development appears to have been around the same time as the F-S Commando dagger i.e. 1940-41. The Smatchet is listed as equipment issued to Commandos for D-day and are attributed as being used by the Special Operation Executive (SOE). While some examples bear War Dept Broad arrows no examples have been found bearing manufacturer's names (see pages 234 to 237 of The Fairbairn Sykes Fighting Knife & Other Commando Knives By Flook). Illustrated in image 1 is a copy of a period photograph of members of SOE Force 136 with Smatchets (see page 235 plate 14.14 of Flook’s book). This rare, original example of the Smatchet is clean and undamaged. It has the correct large leaf shaped blade 10 ¾” in length (16” overall) which is clean. The blade has original storage grease applied (the light anomalies in the blade images are just photography flash reflections). The wood scales secured by rivets are undamaged. It has a large oval steel cross guard and brass pommel holed for wrist cord. The pommel has a ‘Broad Arrow 13’ inspection mark. Its original open top scabbard is webbing over wood former. The scabbard has an integral webbing belt loop with retaining strap & press stud fastener. The rear of the scabbard is ink stamped by the maker ‘ME Co’ (Mills Equipment Company) and dated 1942 together with WD arrow inspection marks. The price for this rare piece of WW2 Special Forces Equipment includes UK delivery. Sn 22249 (FS box)
£0.00

Victorian Era Silver Mounted Dirk / Dagger With Silver Mounted Scabbard. ED 2411 - ED 2411
This original Victorian British form dirk has an 8” long single edged dagger blade. The blade has no visible manufacturer or date marks and has staining consistent with age. The spine of the blade has tooled decoration near to the hilt. The dirk measures 12” overall and has a polished horn handle with silver fittings. The dirk is complete with original silver mounted leather scabbard. All leather and stitching of the scabbard are clean and intact. There are no visible maker or date marks on the blade. The price includes UK delivery. ED 2411 (small fixed blades box)
£225.00

Victorian Era ‘The Hunter’s Knife’ Bowie With Ebony Handle Inlaid With Mother Of Pearl Studs Warranted Steel Blade With Blued & Etched Panel & German Silver Mounted Leather Scabbard. Sn 22164:1 - 22164:1
This is an attractive Hunting knife / Bowie in late Victorian form. It has an ebony handle with raised edges inlaid with mother of pearl studs. It has a German Silver cross guard and a 6” drop point Bowie blade. The blade has some staining consistent with age but no damage. One side of the blade has a blued and etched panel ‘The Hunter’s Knife’ and is stamped ‘Warranted Cast Steel’. There are no visible maker or date marks. The knife measures 10 ¼” overall length. Its original leather open top scabbard has a German silver throat mount and chape with ball end. All stitching is intact. The leather has some areas of light age & carry related surface scuffs. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 22164:1 (All Bowies Box)
£375.00

**UNUSUAL**Late Victorian Era ‘Ladies’ Hill & Son London Bowie Knife With Antique Marine Ivory Hilt Scrimshaw Signed ‘Vera’, German Silver Ferrule Engraved ‘From Ronnie’ & Original Open Top Crocodile Skin Scabbard With ‘Hill & Son Haymarket’ Mark. - 22192
The Hill Family of London Cutlers are first recorded as Thomas Hill at 4 Haymarket in 1855. From 1880 the Company is recorded as Hill & Son. The Hill family continued to work through to 1945, at various London premises but always with connections to the 4 Haymarket address (see pages 79 & 80 of The London Knife Book 1820-1945) by Ron Flook. This is an unusual, attractive, Bowie Knife by Hill & Son London. It is 8 ½” overall length. The knife's 4 ½” drop point Bowie blade is undamaged and has staining consistent with age. The blade is marked on one side with the manufacturer’s name and address (illustrated). It has a solid antique Marine ivory hilt which has scrimshawed ladies name ‘Vera’ in stylised script. The hilt has a German Silver ferrule engraved ‘From Ronnie’. The knife is complete with original open top Crocodile skin scabbard which has an integral single leather belt loop riveted to the rear of the throat. All stitching is clean & intact. The surface of the skin has some areas of surface wear. The rear of the belt loop is impressed with maker’s cartouche ‘Hill & Son Haymarket’. The price for this attractive piece includes UK Delivery. NB Ivory Content Comprises Less Than 10% Volume & Weight. Sn 22192
£475.00

SOLD SOLD (27/10) Edwardian / king George V Era English E. A. Barnes 37 Ship Street, Brighton (Sussex) Bowie Knife With Stag Antler Scales & Open Top Leather Scabbard. Sn 22191 - 22191
Edwin Ambrose Barnes is an English cutler recorded at 37 Ship Street, Brighton in local directories during the Edwardian & George V era. This is a very good Bowie Knife by E.A. Barnes, Brighton. It is 9 ¾” overall length. The knife's 5 ¼” drop point Bowie blade is undamaged and has just light staining consistent with age. The blade is marked on one side with the manufacturer’s name and address (illustrated). It has attractive Stag antler scales which are in great condition secured by German silver pins. The knife is complete with original open top brown leather scabbard which has an integral single leather belt loop riveted to the rear of the throat. All leather & stitching are clean & intact. The price for this Bowie worthy of further research regarding the maker includes UK Delivery. Sn 22191 (in all Bowies box)
£0.00

Victorian Medieval Form ‘Coup De Grâce ’ (Final Mercy Blow) Dagger With Scabbard. Sn 22119 - 22119
Coup De Grâce (Final Mercy Blow) Daggers were used during the medieval era for finishing off wounded soldiers. The strong thin blades of these knives could pass through viewing slits in helmet visors, gaps in armour joints and pass through chain mail. Medieval form weaponry became popular in the Victorian era and were quality made. This Victorian Medieval Form ‘Coup De Grâce ’ dagger with its original scabbard is in excellent condition. The dagger has an ebonised wood hilt with German silver ferrule. The wood is undamaged. The oval steel cross guard has ball finials. The top of the hilt has a small round recess most likely for an absent inlaid roundel with ring for wrist strap. The dagger has a strong, clean 7 ½” long flat diamond section spear point double edged blade which tapers to a pin sharp point, ideal for thrusting. The dagger measures 12 ¾” overall length. The dagger has its original open top leather scabbard which has a stitched rear seam, German silver throat mount with frog bar & German silver chape with ball tip. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 22119 (Fixed Blades Knives Box Storeroom)
£395.00

Victorian C1870 Era English W. Wilkinson & Son Sheffield (Most Likely Walter 1809-1885) American Wild West Export New York (NY) Etched Bowie Knife & Period Leather Scabbard With Ornate Hand Tooled Decoration. Sn 22118 - 22118
Walter Wilkinson (1809-1885) was a Sheffield cutler with premises at Carver Street & Rockingham Lane. By 1849 he was making sheep shears and sugar cane knives from his Australian works on Fitzwilliam Street. He advertised as ‘& Son’ in the 1868 Sheffield directory (see page 664 of Tweedale’s Directory Of Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers Expanded 2nd Edition). This is an original W. Wilkinson & Son Bowie knife made for the thriving American Wild West export market C1870. The Bowie measures 13” overall with an 8 ¼” single edged Bowie blade. The blade is 1 ¼” broad at its widest & the spine of the blade is 4mm thick. The blade has just some light surface scratches consistent with age. The blade is sharp with no nicks to the cutting edge. The ricasso is stamped ‘W. Wilkinson & Son Sheffield’ and the blade ‘NY’ (most likely New York) With American Style device consisting of a Shield containing ‘Stars & Stripes’ indicating that this knife was most likely made by Wilkinson for export to the American market. The Bowie has Stag antler scales secured by German silver pins. It has a brass cross guard and German silver bolsters secured by copper rivets. The Bowie comes with its period quality made leather scabbard which has belt loops riveted to the front and rear. The scabbard has a retaining strap with press stud fastener & leather laced seam. The front of the scabbard has hand tooled ornate foliate decoration. All leather is clean & intact. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 22118 (in Bowies box)
£375.00

**LARGE**Victorian British American Wild West Export Brookes & Crookes Sheffield Bowie Knife With Polished Horn Scales & Locomotive Emitting Steam Pulling Coal Tender & Passenger Carriages Etched Blade. Sn 22078 - 22078
In 1859 the Sheffield cutlers John Brookes & Thomas Crookes appear in Melville & Co’s Commercial directory of Sheffield as manufacturer’s of knives and dressing case instruments. The Company had a warehouse, workshops, engine house & grinding wheel behind a house on St Philip’s Road on the outskirts of the cutlery making district of Sheffield. The workshop / factory was named the Atlantic works and was previously the address of knife maker Thomas Wigfall. The Company took advantage of the booming American market making Bowies for the British & American export (see pages 161-163 of The Sheffield Knife Book by Tweedale). This is a large original Victorian Bowie Knife by Brookes & Crookes made for the American wild west market. It measures 16 ¾” overall with aa 11 ¾” steel Bowie blade. The blade has staining and small areas of light pitting consistent with age. The ricasso is stamped by the maker ‘Brookes & Crookes Sheffield’ together with ’Crown VR’ (Victoria Regina). The reverse of the blade has an etched scene depicting a Locomotive emitting steam pulling a coal tender & passenger carriages along a railway track. The hilt’s polshed horn scales secured by brass pins are undamaged. The cross guard is brass. The Bowie is complete with its original brown leather open top scabbard with small riveted belt loop to the rear. All leather is intact with just a few light surface scuffs and all stitching is intact. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 22078
£475.00

**RARE**Inter War & WW2 British Chindit Gurkha Kukri With Heavy Stabbing & Chopping Form Blade & 1922 Dated WD Leather Scabbard By ‘Ca’ Cawpore Arsenal. Sn 21788 - 21788
This is an original British Chindit Gurkha Military Kukri, similar form Kukris and scabbards are illustrated on page 196 plate 465 & page 197 plate 467 of Flook’s book British & Commonwealth Military Knives (illustrated in our images). On page 196 of his book he describes these Kukris as being a mystery with regards to the troops / units they were made for but states he has seen them being worn by British troops in India between the wars. He adds that they are unlike other Kukris in that they can be used in a stabbing mode and are accompanied by a sheath of different design to the norm. Our example has a 12 ½” single edged heavy blade curved for chopping and tapering to a sharp stabbing point. The spine of the blade is 5mm thick & it measures 17 ¼” overall. The blackened blade has been sharpened in the field during its life. The blade has no visible markings The wood grip scales are correctly secured by 3 rivets and are undamaged. It comes with its original leather scabbard which is similar to the scabbard illustrated in his book (see images). The open top scabbard has a retaining strap with eyelet that fastens to a brass stud on the scabbard, belt loop and riveted seam. The front of the scabbard is dated 1922 and ‘Ca’ (Indian Cawpore Arsenal) together with ‘C WD arrow 12’. The belt loop is impressed with number ‘5’. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 21788 (fighting knives box)
£495.00
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