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British Knives and Bowies

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**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

**Large**John Nowill & Sons, Sheffield Bowie knife With Stag Antler Hilt Scales & Scabbard. Sn 23389 - 23389
The Nowill familly are recorded as Sheffield cutler's since the 16th Century. The family traded under various names and Trademarks until John Nowill acquired the 'crossed keys' trademark in 1842. John Nowill retired from the business in 1847 - three years before his death on 24 October 1850 and the name of the business adopted the 'Nowill & Sons' name. Nowill & Sons made FS Commando Fighting Knives for the British War Dept. In 1947 the Sheffield cutlers F. E. & J. R. Hopkinson Ltd acquired the assets of John Nowill and Frank Mills and used their names & trademarks when making knives (see page 242 of the Sheffield Knife book By Tweedale). This is a large Sheffield made Bowie Knife. It has a 10 ½” long deep swept single edged, Bowie blade which is 1 ¾” broad at its widest and measures 16 ¼” overall. The spine of the blade is 6mm thick. One side of the blade has a shallow fuller. It is marked at the ricasso 'J. Nowill & Sons Sheffield England Established AD 1700’ together with faint cross keys trademark, alongside ‘Bowie’ signature. The cutting edge of the blade has no damage. The blade has areas of staining consistent with age. It has a heavy brass cross guard and heavy brass pommel bolsters. The undamaged Stag antler scales are undamaged and are secured by a row of brass pins including central large brass pin on both scales. It is complete with its brown leather open top scabbard with single large belt loop. All leather and stitching of the scabbard are clean & intact. The price for this impressive Bowie by a renowned Sheffield Cutler includes UK delivery. Sn 23389
£375.00

SOLD SOLD (21/05) J.E. Middleton & Sons, Sheffield Large Hand Made Bowie Knife With Polished Buffalo Horn Scales, Embossed Mythical Beast Hybrid ‘Horse/ Alligator’ Brass Pommel & Scabbard. Sn 23365 - 23365
This is an impressive, large Bowie Knife hand made by J.E. Middleton (now deceased) & Sons. It has a clean 10 ¼” long deep swept Bowie blade which is a broad 1 ¾” broad at its widest. The back of the blade has scalloped tool work. The ricasso is stamped with the famous Knife makers name "J.E. Middleton & Sons, Rockingham Street, Sheffield". It's has a brass cross guard and polished Buffalo horn scales secured by brass rivets. Both of the brass pommel sections are embossed in the form of a mythical beast hybrid ‘Horse/ Alligator’. This Bowie is just over 15” in length overall and is complete with its black leather open top scabbard. The rear of the scabbard has a single belt loop impressed ‘RM’ (either the son, Ron or Roy Middleton who made the scabbards for their Middleton & Sons Bowies). All stitching and leather of the scabbard are clean & intact. The price for this impressive Bowie includes UK delivery. Sn 23365
£0.00

C1960’s Siebe Gorman Diver's Knife As Used By British Royal Navy Divers With Brass Scabbard Slotted For Belt Loop. Sn 21025 - 21025
This is an excellent, original, Siebe Gorman Diver's Knife and Scabbard as used by British Royal Navy divers. The knife has a clean 191mm long double edged spear point blade with medial ridge & is 330 mm overall length. The blade is crisply etched on one side ‘Siebe Gorman’. The blade is magnetic. The knife has a brass cross guard, ferrule & tang nut and has a ribbed & contoured grooved ebonite handle. The knife is complete with solid brass scabbard with belt slot. The knife fits correctly in its scabbard. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 21025 (hunting / survival)
£575.00

Victorian Era ‘KS’ Sheffield Marked Bowie Knife With Polished Bone Scales & Scabbard. Sn 23256 - 23256
This is a Victorian era Bowie Knife. It measures 12 ¼” overall with a 7 ¾” spear point bowie blade which is sharp. The blade has areas of staining consistent with age and has a decorative scalloped section spine. The ricasso is stamped on one side ‘K.S’ above ‘Sheffield England’ (unknown, maker or retailer worthy of further research). The clean undamaged polished bone scales are secured by German Silver rivets. One scale has an inlaid void brass escutcheon. The tang has tooled decoration. The Bowie has a brass finger guard with scalloped edge decoration. The dagger is complete with original leather open top scabbard with belt loop stitched to the rear. The belt loop is embossed with two standing human figures either side of a heraldic style crest, possibly a maker’s trademark (illustrated). All leather and stitching of the scabbard are clean & intact. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 23256 (Bowies box)
£395.00

**SUPERB**LARGE**C1879 - 1884 Scottish Leckie, Graham & Co Glasgow 1st Aberdeen Rifle Volunteers Badged (Later Gordon Highlanders) Silver Mounted Dirk With Cairngorm Jewel Setting, Knife, Fork With Matching Cairngorms & Scabbard. Sn 23140 - 23140
The 1st Aberdeen Rifle Volunteers was an early volunteer infantry unit in Aberdeen, Scotland, formed from the 1st Aberdeenshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, eventually becoming the 1st Volunteer Battalion (VB) of the famous Gordon Highlanders in 1884, serving as a part-time home defence force and providing recruits for the regular army until the early 20th century when volunteer forces reorganized into the Territorial Force. These units, with distinctive badges like brass shako/pouch insignia, were crucial for local defence and embodied Scottish military tradition. The 1st Aberdeen Rifles badge featured St Andrew In front of the Saltire cross on which he was martyred. Leckie, Graham & Co. was a well-established Glasgow-based business, operating from the late 19th into the 20th century. While they were known for a variety of goods, their primary business was as a retailer and possibly manufacturer of leather goods, saddlery, and Highland dress items, including some types of bladed weapons, rather than general domestic cutlery. The firm originated from John Leckie & Co., which was established in 1869 in Glasgow. By 1879, the company was known as Leckie, Graham, & Co. and occupied premises at 116 and 120 Union Street. Later, around 1904, they moved to 89 Renfield Street and 56 Bath Street. The firm retailed weapons, and items like Scottish dirks bear their name as the "maker". However, it is common for such firms to act as retailers who commissioned the actual manufacture of the bladed items from specialist cutlers (often in places like Sheffield, the centre of English cutlery production) and then applied their own name to the finished product. This is a superb, large, Scottish Military Silver Mounted 1st Aberdeen Rifles Regiment Dirk With 'Cairngorm' Jewel Setting, Knife, Fork & Scabbard By Leckie, Graham & Co Glasgow made C1879 – 1884 when the retailer became Leckie, Graham & Co and before 1884 when the Aberdeen Rifles amalgamated with the Gordon Highlanders. The impressive dirk has an 11 ¾” single edged spear point blade with decorative clipped back edge & partial fullers. The dirk measures 17" overall. One side of the blade is nicely signed ‘Leckie, Graham & Co Makers Glasgow’. It has a bulbous hand carved woven effect Oak handle decorated with inset brass studs, large ornate German silver ferrule and Pommel cap with spectacular inset 'Cairngorm' jewel. Accompanying the dirk are its original knife and fork with matching carved Oak handles with studs, plain ferrules and ornate pommel mounts with inset jewels. The small knife has a slim 3 ¾” single edged blade (7" overall) and the 2 pronged fork measures 6" overall. The small knife’s blade has a clipped back edge and one side has matching retailer detail. Both the knife and fork fit neatly into their German Silver mounted compartments on the original leather covered wood scabbard. The scabbard is excellent and undamaged. The mounts bear Silver Scottish Thistle badges and the throat mount has the period Silver badge of the 1st Aberdeen rifles. The rear of the throat mount has a fixed belt / frog bar. The price for this superb piece includes UK delivery. Sn 23140 (in FS box)
£2,150.00

**RARE**UNUSUAL**ALL SURGICAL STEEL**Victorian Thornhill (London, Cutler to The Queen & The Prince & Princess Of Wales) Bowie / Hunting Knife With Fold Out Muti Tools, Tool Inserts, Silver Bolsters & Original Leather Scabbard With Silver Chape. Sn 23144 - 23144
The name Thornhill has a history in knife making dating back to 1734. A maker of quality knives, Thornhill traded under various names. In 1832 a John James Thornhill is recorded at 144 New Bond Street & William and Frederick Thornhill are recoded as operating from 23 Fish Street, London. In 1850 a Walter Thornhill is recorded at the same address. In 1885 The company is recorded as Thornhill Walter & Co 144 & 145 New Bond Street & 6 Little Bruton Street London 'Cutler to The Queen & The Prince & Princess Of Wales’. The Company went out of business C1912 (see pages 161 to 167 of the London Knife book By Flook on page 171 Flook describes a Thornhill folding clasp knife as having a Surgical Instrument style lock). This is an excellent rare to find, unusual all surgical steel quality Victorian era Bowie / Hunting knife by Thornhill. It has a sturdy 5 ½” single edged drop point blade with scalloped spine. The blade is razor sharp. The blade is just under 1” broad at its widest and the spine is 5mm thick. The all steel hilt scales are chequered for grip and have 2 steel bolsters at the blade end and 2 Silver Bolsters at the pommel end. The steel frame has a fold out surgical steel blade & tools consisting of: A 2 ½” single edged razor sharp blade marked ‘Thornhill’: A button hook marked ‘Thornhill’: And triangular spike. The butt bolster is slotted for surgical steel accessories which consist of: A pair of scissors: 3 conjoined hinged thin folding blades: A Spike: And a pair of tweezers. The knife measures 10 ¼” overall and is complete with its original open top brown leather scabbard. The scabbard a riveted belt loop at the throat & external Silver chape which has engraved foliate decoration and ball tip. All leather and stitching of the scabbard are clean & intact. The price for this interesting quality made piece includes UK delivery. Sn 23144 (Bowies box)
£1,250.00

**UNUSUAL**RARE FORM**Victorian Era Saloon Gambler's Dagger With Kris Form Blade & Scabbard. Sn 23094 - 23094
This is an original Victorian Dagger With Kris Form Blade. This size of dagger were popular with gamblers in England & America who could conceal them easily and use for self defence in the event of violent gambling den disputes. It has an oval German silver cross guard with ball finials & German silver ferrule with cast geometric design decoration. The dagger has a superb, heavy, 5 ¼” double edged Kris form blade with medial ridge which tapers to a pin sharp point (just over 9 ¼” overall). The blade has its original thin leather hilt washer. The dagger's solid tooled polished horn handle has a German silver pommel cap. There are no maker or date marks on this dagger. The dagger is complete with original open top black leather scabbard which has a German silver throat mount and chape with ball end. All leather and stitching of the scabbard are clean & intact. The price for this unusual dagger includes UK delivery. Sn 23094 (drawers office)
£395.00

SOLD SOLD (16/05) Late Victorian Era English Sheffield Trade Made Bowie Knife Retailed By Lorberg 185 Kensington High Street (London) With Stag Antler Scales & Original Leather Scabbard. Sn 23097 - 23097
Charles Henry Lorberg was born in London in 1874. In the 1880s–1890s edged weapons marked Lorberg Kensington made their first appearance. C. H. Lorberg was based at 185 Kensington High St working as a gunsmith / cutlery retailer. This is a nice original Victorian form Sheffield Trade Bowie with original Scabbard retailed by Lorberg London. It has undamaged stag antler scales secured by steel pins. It has a German silver finger guard & a 7” long single edged, clean steel bowie blade, signed by the retailer ‘Lorberg 185 Kensington High Street’ together with ‘Sheffield Made’ roundel. The spine is 3mm thick and it is just under 1 ¼” broad at its widest. The Bowie measures just under 11 ½” overall length. Its original open top brown leather scabbard with stitched seam is absent its original belt loop. The leather of the scabbard is clean with just very light small areas of carry scuffs. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 23097 (in Bowies box)
£0.00
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