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British Knives and Bowies

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Late Victorian Era, English Form Spear Point Bowie Knife With German Silver Fittings & Scabbard. Sn 23571 - 23571
This is an attractive late Victorian era spear point Bowie Knife. It measures 9 ¼” overall with a 5” spear point bowie blade which is sharp and has just light staining consistent with age. There are no maker marks on this Bowie. The excellent solid ivory hue composite grip is undamaged. The hilt has foliate panels. The cross guard and ferrule are German Silver. The dagger is complete with brown leather open top scabbard with belt loop. All leather and stitching of the scabbard are intact. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 23571 (Bowies box)
£375.00

Late Victorian / Edwardian Era English J. Retlaw & Co (Aka Walter) Sheffield Bowie Knife With Solid Stag Antler Hilt, Brass Fittings & Later Bespoke Made Leather Scabbard. Sn 23479 - 23479
We cannot find the cutler J. Retlaw & Co in our books, however, internet resources indicate J. Retlaw & Co was a historic Sheffield manufacturer, most well-known during the late-19th and early-20th centuries for producing high-quality hunting, campaign, and stag-handled sheath knives. The name "Retlaw" is actually the surname "Walter" spelled backwards (period cutlers often attempted to boost sales by re-naming their knife brands). Because the company produced highly specialized or custom tools, information about the cutler's overarching corporate history is relatively scarce. However, historical auction and ethnographic collections (such as items held by the Pitt Rivers Museum) indicate their products were in circulation C1910). Today, vintage pieces by J. Retlaw & Co, particularly their stag-handled knives are considered highly collectible. This is a nice original Bowie signed J. Retlaw & Co Sheffield. It has undamaged solid stag antler hilt. The hilt has a solid brass finger guard and pommel cap. It has a 7” long single edged, clean steel bowie blade, signed on one side ‘J. Retlaw & Co Sheffield’. The spine is 2mm thick and the blade is just over 1 ½” broad at its widest. The Bowie measures just over 12 ¼” overall length. Its later bespoke made brown leather scabbard has belt loop and retaining strap with press stud fastener. All leather & stitching are clean & intact. The price for this Bowie worthy of further research regarding the maker includes UK delivery. Sn 23479 (in Bowies box)
£275.00

**LARGE**Inter War 1937 Wilkinson Sword Pall Mall (London) British WD Scottish Highland Regiments Other Ranks German Silver Mounted Dirk With King’s Crown Pommel Cap & WD Scabbard With Leather Belt Hanger. Sn 23484:111 - 23484:111
This is an excellent, large, Scottish Highland Regiments Dirk. The impressive dirk has an 11 ¾” spear point blade. The blade is just under 1 ¼” broad at its widest and the spine is 5mm thick at its widest. The dirk measures 17 ½” overall. One side of the blade is etched ‘Wilkinson Pall Mall’ (London) and has WD Broad arrow together with ’37 (1937 date). The reverse ordnance inspection mark and matching ’37 date mark. It has a bulbous hand carved woven effect Oak handle decorated with brass studs, large ornate German silver ferrule and Pommel cap with embossed King’s Crown. The leather covered wood scabbard is excellent and undamaged. The German silver scabbard mounts bear embossed Scottish Thistle badges. The rear of the throat mount has a fixed belt hanger/ frog bar which is mounted with a leather belt hanger with metal buckle. The price for this superb piece includes UK delivery. Sn 23484:111 (in FS box)
£745.00

**MINT**UN-ISSUED**1993 British WD Special Forces Type D Survival Knife By J. Adams Sheffield With NATO Sores Code & Scabbard. Sn 23484:97 - 23484:97
The 1993 Type D British WD (War Department) Survival Knife is a heavy-duty, military-issued fixed-blade knife originally introduced in the 1950s and built continuously by government contractors into the 1990s and 2000s. These iconic tools were manufactured by WD contractors such as J. Adams of Sheffield (see page 104 of Flook's book 'British & Commonwealth Fighting Knives' plate 238 of page 104 where a 1980’s example the same form as our example Type D knife is illustrated & plate 236 page 103 where a Type D scabbard in the same form as ours is illustrated. This is a mint, un-issued condition, original British WD Type D Survival Knife. This heavy duty survival knife has a 7” long single edged heavy, 1 ¾” broad blade at its widest. The spine of the blade is 6mm thick. The blade is razor sharp, clean & retains its original dark parkerised type finish. It measures 12 ¼” overall and has the correct undamaged wood grips. The scales are secured by 3 large copper rivets. The pommel end is holed for wrist cord. One scale is crisply stamped with NATO stores code ‘127 8214’ above ‘JA’ (maker J. Adams Sheffield) & date ‘1993’ alongside WD broad arrow mark. The knife is complete with original correct leather riveted and stitched scabbard with single retaining strap and stud fastener. All leather, stitching & rivets are intact. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 23484:97 (in FS box)
£275.00

**LARGE**Post 1952 Wilkinson Sword London Scottish Highland Regiments German Silver Mounted Dirk With Queens Crown Pommel Cap & Scabbard With Patent Leather Belt Hanger. Sn 23484:78 - 23484:78
This is an excellent, large, Scottish Highland Regiments Dirk. The impressive dirk has an 11 ¾” spear point blade. The blade is just under 1 ¼” broad at its widest and the spine is 5mm thick at its widest. The dirk measures 17 ¼” overall. One side of the blade is nicely signed ‘Wilkinson Sword Co Ltd London Made In England’ and has their crossed swords trademark. It has a bulbous hand carved woven effect Oak handle decorated with brass studs, large ornate German silver ferrule and Pommel cap with embossed Queens Crown. The leather covered wood scabbard is excellent and undamaged. The German silver scabbard mounts bear embossed Scottish Thistle badges. The rear of the throat mount has a fixed belt hanger/ frog bar which is mounted with a patent leather belt hanger with metal buckle. The rear of the leather hanger has hand etched descriptive information (illustrated). The price for this superb piece includes UK delivery. Sn 23484:78 (in FS box)
£575.00

C1950’s Large William Rodgers ‘I Cut My Way’ Sheffield Scottish Highlander's Hunting Dirk Form Spear Point Bowie Knife With One Piece Deer Antler Hilt 'Cairngorm' Jewel Setting, Etched Blade & Leather Covered Wood Scabbard With Brass Mounts. Sn 23506 - 23506
The Sheffield cutler William Rodgers was recorded in the 1852 directory. His trade mark was ‘I Cut My Way’ together with mincing knife device. The company ceased trading towards the late 19th Century. In 1911 John Clarke advertised the trademark as his own & used it to good effect in the 20th century. The Eggington group acquired the trademark in the 1980’s. This William Rodgers Sheffield made Bowie Knife is in Scottish Highlander's hunting Dirk Form With 'Cairngorm' Jewel Setting & scabbard. The knife & scabbard are in excellent condition. The knife has a large single piece Deer antler hilt, curved with broad pommel in which is seated its multi-faceted Cairngorm set in an ornate circular brass mount. It has a brass cross guard with square finials, the surfaces of which are cut with Saltire / St Andrew's Crosses. The 11 ¼” spear point Bowie blade is polished steel with scalloped decoration on the spine and a line of holes semi piercing the fullers. Both sides of the blade have etched decoration featuring foliate designs with Scottish thistles, martial arms and banners. The ricasso is signed on one side "William Rodgers Sheffield England" & the reverse has Rodgers ‘I Cut My Way’ trademark. The knife is 17 ½” overall length. The scabbard is black leather over wood former. The brass throat mount has a fixed belt bar and it has a brass chape with square saltire cross decorated tip. The belt bar is fitted with a later applied stitched buff leather belt loop. The price for this impressive dirk includes UK delivery. Sn 23506 (Bowie box)
£575.00

C1960’s British Siebe Gorman & Co Royal Navy Diver's Knife & Scabbard. Sn 23484:17 - 23484:17
This is a nice condition British Divers Knife from the 1960’s made by ‘Siebe Gorman & Co’ who’s name is inscribed on one side of the blade. The blade is double edged with a spear point and a medial ridge. The knife has a clean 1 ½” broad, 7 ½” long double edged spear point magnetic blade (13” overall) The double edged blade is undamaged. The crossguard, Ferrule and tang nut are all brass and the handle is ribbed/contoured Ebonite. The scabbard is brass with a belt slot to the rear. These knives were widely used by Royal Navy Divers. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 23484:17 (Hunting/Survival)
£595.00

**VERY RARE**ORIGINAL**STERILE**WW2 Era Special Operations Executive (SOE ) 'Escape Tool' Folding Pocket Knife. ED 3060 - ED 3060
Described as very desirable and much sought after on page 48 of British & Commonwealth Military Knives By Flook and illustrated on the same page at plate 98, these rare escape knives were issued to members of the British SOE during WW2. This is an excellent original example. The knife of all steel construction features an integral wire cutter the arm of which is held to the body of the knife by a hinged shackle. It has 2 single edged blades one with thumb lug spur to assist one handed opening, three saw edge blades and a screwdriver head integral to the frame. All blades are intact. The knife has even aged patina throughout consistent with age and service use. As with most SOE equipment this piece is sterile with no WD, date or manufacturer marks. The price for this rare SOE knife includes UK delivery. ED 3060 (in FS box)
£1,200.00

**VERY LARGE**AMERICAN FRONTIER EXPORT**1854-1859 Yeomans & Son Sheffield Bowie Knife With American Eagle Etched Blade, Solid Stag Antler Hilt & Scabbard. Sn 23367 - 23367
John Yeomans, a factor and scissors maker, Arundel Street, was listed in 1822 (see Thorpe, Wragg & Co). Certainly, Yeomans became prominent in the 1830s, when he was involved with Turner, Yeomans & Yates (with Thomas Turner and Jared Yates). This was dissolved in 1835. He was then associated with Yeomans, Yates & Standfield (listed 1837), Yeomans, Standfield & Newbould (listed 1839 and dissolved in 1841), and Yeomans, Standfield & Co (dissolved 1844). In 1845, Yeomans was listed as a merchant and table knife manufacturer in Arundel Street. John Yeomans made quality Bowie knives. In 1850, however, John Yeomans, ‘merchant and table knife manufacturer’, went bankrupt. The firm did not immediately disappear. At the time of the Census (1851), John was living in Arundel Street and enumerated as a manufacturer of cutlery. By 1854, the firm had been restyled as John Yeomans & Son. They exported Bowies and other blades to North America to supply the expanding Western frontier. John Yeomans, Hanover Square, died on 28 May 1859, aged 61. His firm ceased trading. His son, John, became a solicitor and Town Clerk for Sheffield. John Junior’s son, Thomas Shillito Yeomans, was a co-founder of Maleham & Yeomans. This is an impressive, original, very large Bowie Knife made in Sheffield by Yeoman and son when they operated between 1854 & 1859. It has a just under 12” long clean Bowie blade which is just over 1 ½” at its widest edge. The spine is 5mm thick. The knife measures 19 ¼” overall length. The blade is signed 'Yeoman & Son Cutler St Sheffield' (Yeoman & Son Bowies have been found with both Cutler street & Arundel street addresses. Some rare surviving examples were commissioned by American firms like Wells Fargo Express Company for service anniversaries 1852-1877). One side of the blade has a large etched ‘American Eagle’ indicating that this was one of the company’s American Western Frontier pieces. It has a solid bronze finger guard and copper ferrule. Its long curved handle made is made from one piece of solid Stag antler. The hilt is holed for wrist cord and fitted with later leather cord. The Bowie has its later quality bespoke made open top brown leather scabbard. The rear of the scabbard has a single belt loop and the front of the scabbard has tooled decoration. All stitching & leather of the scabbard are clean & intact. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 23367
£795.00

**Large**Fred James Sheffield Made 'America Land Of The Free & Home Of The Brave' Bowie Knife With Etched Blade, Polished Horn Scales, Embossed Mythical Hybrid Horse / Leopard Brass Pommel Bolsters & Leather Scabbard. Sn 23366 - 23366
Before his death in 1986 Fred James was Sheffield's best known Bowie Knife maker. He began his career in 1935 at Johnson's Portobello Works & continued work at Wostenholm's Washington Works in 1956. In 1971 when the companies of Wostenholm and Rodgers merged, James began his own knife making business (see pages 214-215 of The Sheffield Knife Book By Tweedale). This Fred James Sheffield made Bowie Knife & scabbard are in nice condition. The knife has polished horn scales secured with brass pins. One scale is mounted with a void brass escutcheon. It has brass pommel bolsters, both embossed with a mythical hybrid Horse / Leopard figure. It has a brass cross guard and the 8 ½” long Bowie blade is polished steel with scalloped decoration on the spine which is 5mm thick. The Bowie is 13 ¾” overall length. One side of the blade is etched with elaborate scroll work and wording "America Land Of The Free And The Home Of The Brave". The ricasso is stamped "F. W. James Sheffield". The scabbard is brown leather with integral belt loop. The front of the scabbard has tooled decoration. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 23366 (Bowie box)
£495.00
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