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Picked up this Sheffield marked Bowie today by Wostenholm. And simply marked as such. 11” blade. Brass fittings. I believe the handle is darkly stained walnut. I had never seen a Sheffield Bowie in this configuration.





I also feel even tho the scabbard fits the length of the blade, I think it might be mismatched from another knife. Then again, maybe not.

The old Sheffield stuff was made in England ?

Yes

kaywoodie;
Top of the morning to you sir, I hope the week behaved and you're all well down in your section of Texas.

If I was going to guess on the age of that and let's be clear here I'm only a bit of a serious student on older blades, I'd guess it to be post Civil War era but maybe not by much.

As you know the British cutlery industry was huge at that point, as was British influence everywhere in the world, so any young adventurer from Continental Europe, Britain or anywhere in North America would be the target buyer for that knife.

Enough of them were military or military contractors of sorts that the frog stud on the sheath makes sense. Anyone on the frontier from Afghanistan to Edmonton down south to San Antonio would be used to seeing that during that time frame I'd think?

While I have personally developed no ways and means of making this happen, perhaps if I ever land anything that cool in my collection, I'd try taking it out on a still, full moon night and with said full moon over my left shoulder, see if I can hear it whisper to me....

My goodness sir, the stories it could likely tell.

All the best and good hunting.

Dwayne

curiosity got the best of me...

google search didnt turn up much for dating...

The Wostenholm is for George Wostenholm, founder of Sheffield knives.

interestingly, his father was a forker ( fork maker ).

Knice knife.

I have Richard Washer's book The Sheffield Bowie...1825-1925 which shows a number of different trademarks for George Wostenholm over the years, but none exactly like your blade. The 1*XL trademark was the most common. There is also a another Wostenholm besides George listed as a Sheffield maker, Joseph., but no pictures of his mark appear in the book. The knife looks period authentic to me, but I have very limited experience in judging such things. Nice collector piece nevertheless.

Very cool knife. Clean that sucker up and butcher something with it.

I acquired a knife that has
V R PAGET
95 PICCADILLY
LONDON
with the 'crown' stamped in it also on the blade.
Found out he was authorized by the King/Queen to make cutlery
in the 1850's. He used Sheffield steel. It had been ground down on the passengers
side and re handled with walrus ivory but still way cool.
I cleaned it up and butchered and elk with it. I believe it was
originally a "London Knife" but never found any pics of an original one by Paget.

Again,cool old knife you got there.
Congrats.