Items: 0 Price: £0    
view cart

British Knives and Bowies

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  Next Page 1 of 17

**RARE & DESIRABLE**1st Type WW2 Era, Sterile Special Operations Executive (SOE ) 'Escape Tool' Folding Pocket Knife. Sn 18197 - 18197
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 1st type rare escape knives were issued to members of the British SOE during WW2. This is an excellent original example. As is common with special forces weapons this escape tool is sterile with no manufacturer or date marks. The blued steel construction tool features an integral wire cutter the arm of which is held to the body of the knife by a hinged 'hoop bar'. It measures 6 ¼” overall when closed and has 2 single edged folding blades. One measures 3", the second blade measures 2" and has a thumb lug spur to assist one handed opening. The knife also has three saw edge blades and a screwdriver head integral to the frame. The knife is fitted with a steel shackle. The tool has its original blue finish. The price for this rare SOE knife includes UK delivery. Sn 18197
£1,875.00

**VERY RARE VARIANT**WW1 British Robbins Of Dudley Alloy Hilt, Steel Knuckle Bow Trench Fighting Knife With Scabbard. Sn 19729 - 19729
An original excellent condition WW1 Robbins of Dudley fighting knife with an alloy handle which has contoured finger recesses, steel knuckle bow and steel blade with blood grooves. The knife has a total length of 243mm and the double edged blade with blood grooves is 151mm length. The maker's name is on the butt of the alloy hilt 'Robbins Dudley'(Robbins of Dudley were a metal working Company in Dudley Worcester England who at the outbreak of WW1 began making Trench Fighting weapons). It is complete with its original brown leather scabbard with retaining strap & single brass stud. The scabbard has an integral belt loop (see page 26 plate 37 of British & Commonwealth Military Knifes by Ron Flook). The price for this very rare variant WW1 Robbins trench fighting knife includes UK delivery. Sn 19729
£1,975.00

SOLD SOLD (12/06) A Twin bladed ‘J. Alexander of Birmingham ‘Rubber Planters’ Pocket Knife and Leather Sheath. ED 2649 - ED 2649
A horn handled pocket knife by Birmingham maker ‘J. Alexander’ with an attachment thought to be a rubber planters ‘Tapping’ tool (Rubber tapping is the process by which latex is collected from a rubber tree. The latex is harvested by slicing a groove into the bark of the tree at a depth of one-quarter inch (6.4 mm) with a hooked knife and peeling back the bark. Trees must be approximately six years old and six inches (150 mm) in diameter in order to be tapped for latex). Both blades bear the makers name ‘J. Alexander – 3 Bell St Birmingham’ to the tang. The cheeks of each blade has ‘Trade Mark with wooden barrel’ inscribed. The knife is 10 cm when closed.The un-damaged horn grips are held with three pins. The blades have an aged patina and are in very good condition having not been re sharpened. The thick brown leather pouch has a rear belt loop and press stud fastener, the stitching is in good order. An unusual knife which is worthy of further investigation. The price includes UK postage. ED 2649.
£0.00

‘Double Sharp’ Pocket Knife and Leather Pouch by ‘George Ibberson-Sheffield’. ED 2647. - ED 2647
Ibberson is a famous and popular name in the Sheffield cutlery industry. From the mid-17th century to the beginning of the 19th century, there were just under a hundred Sheffield cutlers named Ibberson (or Ibbotson). A cutler named William Ibberson operated in the Stannington area to the north west of Sheffield as long ago as 1666, but it has been claimed that the origins of the George Ibberson company can be traced back to a Joseph Ibberson who made cutlery in 1700. In 1873, the company registered its world famous Stradivarius Violin trademark with The Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire. This mark, along with Ibberson’s other great trademark, Double sharp ##, would go on to gain legendary status amongst knife enthusiasts the world over. The blade measures 7 cm and hasn’t been re sharpened. ‘George Ibberson – Double Sharp ## Stainless Sheffield England’ is etched to one side of the polished blade. The unmarked two tone grips are held with three brass pins below two brass bolsters. The knife fits the black leather pouch perfectly, the stitching is intact. The pocket knife measure 16 ½ cm overall when opened and 9 ¾ cm when closed. The price for this collectable pocket knife includes UK delivery. ED 2647.
£95.00

Boxed George Wostenholm I*XL Twin Blade Pocket Knife. ED 2646. - ED 2646
Along with Joseph Rodgers, George Wostenholm is possibly the most famous name in Sheffield cutlery. Geo Wostenholm’s first knife making works were established in 1785. The Wostenholm business now forms part of the Egginton Group, Sheffield. The larger of the two blades measures 7 cm and has ‘I*XL George Wostenholm-Sheffield England’ inscribed and the smaller measures 5 cm and has ‘Stainless Steel’ inscribed. Both blades are in excellent condition and haven’t been re sharpened. The white horn grips are held with three brass pins above brass coloured bolsters. The knife measures 9 ½ cm when fully closed. A lovely pocket knife from a legendary maker. The price includes UK delivery. ED 2646.
£95.00

Boxed Collection of Five Victorian Sailors/Deck Knives with Stag Horn Grips and Marlin Spikes. 17925:2 - 17925:2
A collection of five Victorian Sailors/Deck knives by Sheffield makers including: George Wostenholm (John Arthur Wolstenholme (1872-1947) George Wostenholm (b1800) served his apprenticeship under his father at Rockingham Works. The first entry in The Sheffield City Directory (which incorrectly spells the name!) confirming the father and son partnership comes from 1825), Joseph Allen (son of a sickle maker, having been trained as a razor maker, became a Sheffield based cutler in 1851) and E.M. Dickinson (Edwin Murray Dickinson was born in Sheffield in 1849 In around 1882, he launched Murray Works, Cambridge Street, for the sale/manufacture of pen, pocket, and sportsman’s knives, Bowies and daggers, and trade knives for butchers and farriers). Four have a single blade and Marlin spike and one has a large and small blade. All have lanyard rings and are in very good condition *please see images*. They are housed in a custom made wooden box with an amateur painting of a ship above ‘Sailors Knives’. A collection worthy of further investigation. The price includes UK delivery. 17925:2 (Presentation Daggers Box)
£795.00

WW2 1945 Dated British Military Gurkha Kukri By ‘HW’ with ‘SA’ Marked Blade & WD 1944 Scabbard By ‘Ca’ Cawpore Arsenal With Frog. Sn 19671 - 19671
This is an original British Gurkha Military Kukri. It has a 12 ¼” inch single edged fullered Kukri blade & measures 16 ¾” overall. The wood handle with raised central band is secured by two large rivets and it has a steel pommel plate. The blade has the correct notch near to the hilt. The blade is stamped by the manufacturer 'HW' together with '45' (1945) date and ‘SA abve 251’ mark. It comes with its original leather covered wood scabbard which is impressed with ‘1944’ date and ‘Ca’ (Indian Cawpore Arsenal) together with ‘C WD arrow 897’. The scabbard has a small brass chape and is fitted with original laced and riveted frog which has 2 belt loops. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 19671
£475.00

*Scarce* Post-War Prototype 2nd Type ‘Wilkinson’ Survival Knife with Leather Sheath. ED 2645. - ED 2645
The construction of knives for military purposes has continued unabated since the war. Knife fighting was gaining popularity in mercenary training programmes. Wilkinson developed this survival knife prototype (second type) and forerunner to the pattern subsequently put into production, see Fighting Knives –An illustrated guide to fighting knives and military survival weapons of the world by Frederick J Stephens, Page 119 item 599. This item is 31 ¾ cm long overall (blade length 18 ¼ cm) the blade is 4 ¼ cm at its widest point, weighs ½ kg and has ‘Wilkinson Sword’ and logo above ‘Reg’d Design App For’ to one side above the finger guard. The blade is undamaged but has staining relating to its age. The wooden grips are held with two pins with and integrated lanyard hole. The leather sheath has an integrated belt loop *part missing see pictures* with a heavy brass stud. The price for this very scarce knife and sheath includes UK delivery. ED 2645. (Fighting Knives)
£495.00

A Pair of Sheffield Made ‘Lambfoot’ Bladed Knives and Leather Sheaths. ED 2642. - ED 2642
The origin of the Lambfoot’s name and design is murky and difficult to nail down definitively, but there are a few things that can be guessed at with some research. First, the pattern seems to have emerged in the mid to late 19th century. There are no obvious examples of the Lambfoot in Smith’s Key 1816, an industry pattern catalogue. That said, there are some knives that seem to be Lamb foot predecessors that blur the line between Sheepfoot, Wharncliffe, and Lambfoot. Another indicator that the pattern didn’t develop until the late 19th after many Sheffield cutlers immigrated to New England in the 1840s-1860s. Some evidence for this is the commonness of Lambfoot knives having a stamp or etch on the blade announcing it as a “Real Lambfoot Knife”. Specifically, it might have been called the Lambfoot because it can be seen as a more slender Sheepfoot, therefore playing on the fact that a lamb is a juvenile sheep. While these are some of the possible reasons for the development of the Lambfoot name and design, it seems the specific origin of the name and pattern have been lost to history. The first knife is 16 cm overall (blade length 7 cm) and has ‘REAL LAMB FOOT’ and Made in Sheffield to one side of the blade. The lovely polished horn grips are held by two pins either side. The blade doesn’t appear to have been re sharpened. The thick brown leather sheath has a nice patina, a belt loop and a brass fastening pin. The stitching is fully intact. The second knife is 15 ½ cm overall (blade length 6 ½ cm). The light coloured polished horn grips are held in place with three brass pins either side. The blade looks to have been re sharpened and has the ‘A. Wright & Son Ltd’ and Sheffield England imprinted to the ricasso. The spine running through the grips has plant root design and the collars are ornately engraved. The thick brown leather sheath has a brass coloured stud and belt loop. The stitching is all intact. UK delivery is included in the price for this pair of Sheffield knives. ED 2642.
£145.00

H.M. Slater Ltd Folding Pocket Knife and Leather Sheath. ED 2641. - ED 2641
The Slater cutlery business was founded in 1858 by Warrington Slater (1838-1907), who owned it with his brother, Walter Slater (1840-1917). They were the sons of John Marriott Slater and Ann Warrington. John (d. 1871) was spring knife cutler in Garden Street and then Pea Croft. Warrington was described in the Census (1871) as a spring knife cutler and local preacher (he was a Baptist). The firm was first listed as W. & W. Slater in Eyre Street (at the factory of George Butler), but was soon known as Slater Bros. The company manufactured pen and pocket knives, table cutlery, Bowies and dirks, many of which were shipped to South American markets. The firm is known to have made pocket knives for Frederic Barnes & Co for shipment to South America. In 1876, the firm moved to 94 Scotland Street. A full-page advertisement in a Sheffield directory (1884) announced: ‘Every Knife Made by Good Workmen … the Very Best Cast Steel Exclusively Used’. The number of patterns was precise: 5,914. Unwin & Rodgers’ knives and pistol-knives are pictured, perhaps because Slater had bought its old stock. Slater’s marks included VENTURE’ and ‘BEEHIVE’. He acquired the latter in 1876 (it had been used by John Hinchliffe and also apparently by Cockhill). The locking blade length is 7 ¾ cm long (16 ½ cm overall). The immaculate hardwood grips are held with four brass pins beneath brass pommels which are held with six brass pins. The blade is un sharpened and carries the ‘Venture’ brand name above ‘H.M. Slater’ and Stainless Steel. The thick leather sheath has a nice patina with all stitching in place and leather tab fastening. A very nice piece by a respected maker. The price includes UK delivery. ED 2641.
£125.00
 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  Next Page 1 of 17