Sheffield Bowie Knife

[Shotgun Steve]

Estimate: $600.00 - $900.00
Realized: $1550

Sheffield bowie knife with leather scabbard; James Westa, Lord St.,Sheffield mfg., blade engraved with Americana slogan "America the land of the free and the home of the brave", rare scabbard decorated with metal tip and sleeve, horn handle with plaque. Knife 12 1/2"L. Good condition, wear to leather.

[The Elderly Kid]

A handsome piece. Where are all these bowies turning up? Is it an estate sale? It looks like someone was collecting spearpoint and dagger-style Sheffield bowies.

[Angel_Eyes]

I find it hard to recognize these spear-pointed and double edged knives as 'Bowie' knives.

I thought they were all single edged with some form of clip point, or is this just makers using the generic name as a selling point.

Has anyone an image of Bowie's original knife? I don't believe I have ever seen one published.

AE

[St. George]

That's because there isn't one, and no one can say exactly 'what' his knife might've looked like, or who 'really' made it.

During the era, any large knife was termed a 'Bowie' - regardless of shape - and the same applied to the term 'Arkansas Toothpick'.

These names were interchangeable for any of the knives used more for fighting than for utility.

Eventually, the term 'Bowie' came to mean a single-edged blade with a sharpened, upswept false edge.

Much of the misinformation came from Thorpe's 'The Bowie Knife', and Wellman's 'The Iron Mistress'.

Instead - read 'Flayderman's 'The Bowie Knife - Unsheathing an American Legend'.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

   Great looking knife, but it looks more like a Dirk or large dagger to me, IMHO  

         Regards

       tEN wOLVES  

[Cactus Rope]

Angel Eyes

FWIW you might try this site www.arkansashistory.com/knife_gallery