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LOT 1527
Stunning
Grouping of
Five Exhibition
Quality Sporting
Knives Signed and
Engraved by Master Engraver
Winston Churchill - All five knives in
this lot are decorated with high quality leafy
vine and scroll engraving on the blades and guards,
with the signature of engraver Winston Churchill on the
spine. Winston Gordon Churchill was one of the finest American
engravers to put graver to steel in the 20th century. Churchill got
his first big break in firearms engraving in 1969 when he was hired
on at America’s premier custom rifle builder, Griffin & Howe, where
he had the good fortune to study for some years under the highly
regarded Master Engraver Josef Fugger. After four years under Fugger’s tutelage, Churchill set
out on his own, and the rest, as they say, is history. Churchill went on to engrave for some of the
finest gunmakers in the world and created some true masterpieces on steel, including the Holland &
Holland .577 Sidelock Double Rifle we at the Rock Island Auction Company had the privilege to sell as lot 1450
in our Premier Auction number 84, which realized a whooping $230,000.
Knife 1 has no visible maker’s mark, knives 2-4 bear the mark “MORSETH” on the left blade flat, and all are sold without sheaths.
1) Skinning knife, 7 inches overall with a 3 1/4 drop point blade, contoured stag grip, and a pommel with lion head engraving. 2)
Field knife, 8 1/2 inches overall, 4 1/4 inch blade, full tang construction with engraved copper edge accents, stag grip panels, and floral
engraved grip pins. 3) Field knife, 8 1/2 inches overall, 4 1/4 inch drop point blade, brown Micarta grip, stag pommel with scrimshawed bear
designs, and a floral engraved tang screw. 4) Boot knife, 8 3/4 inches overall, 4 inch spear point blade with gold-inlaid Morseth marking, a tiger
themed scene on the left side and two elk fighting on the right, smooth grip with an elephant herd scrimshawed on the left and a pair of moose on
the right, and a floral engraved tang screw. 5) Field knife, 8 1/2 inches overall, 4 1/4 inch drop point blade, with “J.S.” in a scroll on the right side of the
guard, tan Micarta grip, and an alloy pommel cap with an engraved bear. A plastic case is included.
CONDITION: Excellent overall, with minor handling marks. Do not miss this opportunity to own a set of knives engraved by one of America’s finest arms
engravers, Winston Churchill. A chance like this does not come around often!
Estimate: 14,000 - 22,500
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