Very Rare Confederate Bowie Knife with Belt & Cap

[Shotgun Steve]

Very Rare Confederate Bowie Knife with Belt & Cap Box. Black leather belt has a copper colored brass buckle with a single 5-pointed star in the middle- it measure 3 1/4" x 2 1/4". The bowie knife is faintly marked Bowie & Gamble over Richmond, VA on the left side of the 8 7/8" blade and it has a thin brass hilt. The plain wood handle is in good condition and is retained by what looks like a rivet and copper washer. The knife comes in a tin, metal scabbard shaped exactly like the blade. There is also a black leather cap box on the belt-the leather is still fairly soft but has a crackled finish. The leather belt is 1 7/8" wide and is also still soft, and flexible but two of the five adjustment holes are worn and enlarged. Estimated Value$4,000 - 6,000.

LiveAuctioneers

[kflach]

I've never heard of metal scabbards before - it seems like they'd be hard on the blade. Were they common?

[Books OToole]

Were they common?

The were for swords & push daggers.

Books