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LOT 68
Massive, Exhibition Quality, Etched Blade George Wostenholm & Sons, Sheffield I*XL
“Celebrated Hunting Knife” with Ornate Leaf Guard and Sheath - NSN. Manufactured in the
mid to late 19th century by the George Wostenholm firm of Sheffield, England, one of the largest
Sheffield manufacturers and importers to the
United States during westward expansion, the
gold rush era, the Civil War, and beyond. This
massive and ornate example was quite possible
made specifically for one of the many popular
trades fairs during the period, given its size and
embellishment. Knives such as this one would have been a fantastic example of what the Wostenholm
firm was capable of. This huge hunting knife measures 17 1/2 inches overall with an 11 3/4 inch drop
point blade that has near full-length fullers on both sides. The fuller on the left side is filled with an
impressive acid etched panel featuring cornucopias and floral motifs. The upper left of the blade
below the spine has the Wostenholm Washington Works marking, Celebrated Hunting Knife marking,
and the I*XL trademark. The silver plated guard is shaped like two leaves with hand filed veins and has
a silver plated and grooved bolster below it. It is fitted with smooth, imitation tortoise shell grips over
hardwood, with a blank German silver nameplate on the left.
Includes a leather sheath with ornately
shaped silver fittings.
CONDITION: Very fine, the blade is mostly bright
with some very light polishing evidence and crisp
markings and engraving. It retains much of the silver plating
on the guard and bolster, which shows an attractively aged patina. The grips are
good with a few minor cracks and a couple pieces absent from the
right panel. The sheath is fine with a large
piece of leather absent.
A fantastic,
exhibition quality
knife from the
world famous
Wostenholm firm of Sheffield!
Estimate: 6,000 - 8,000
LOT 67
Highly Desirable American Patriotic Motif Etched Blade “O.K.” Bowie Knife with Sheath - Manufactured c.
mid-1800s, likely in Sheffield, England, bowie knives such as this one exploded in popularity in the United States
during the period of westward expansion and the Civil War. Riding
the wave of this popularity, many Sheffield based makers
began stamping and etching their knives with phrases and
imagery that pandered to the adventurous and patriotic
spirit of Americans, with this particular knife being a
fantastic example. There are no visible maker’s marks on
this particular knife, and there is an almost identical, un-etched,
and also unidentified example pictured on p. 371 of “The Antique Bowie Knife Book” by Adams, Voyles, and Moss.
Given the similarities, both this example and the one pictured were almost certainly produced by the same maker.
It measures 13 7/8 inches overall with a 9 inch blade featuring a long, dramatic clipped point. The left side of the
blade is elaborately etched with American patriotic motifs and slogans including “Americans ask for
nothing but what is right & submit to nothing that is wrong.”, an eagle with spread wings
over “O.K.”, and “The United States the land of the free
and the home of the brave”. The guard is German silver
with finials on the top and bottom, and it is fitted with
combination white bone and dark horn grip scales and a blank
German silver nameplate on the left. Includes a leather sheath with gilt filled light tooling and German
silver fittings, as well as an outer leather covering that appears to be a period addition.
CONDITION: Fine, the exceptional blade remaining mostly
with some scattered small patches of light
surface spotting and the original acid etching
remaining crisp. The German silver is mostly
bright. The grip scales are fine with a few hairline age
cracks and light handling marks. The sheath is very good with
some mild wear and more significant wear on the outer leather cover, which has a few absent pieces. A fantastic
example of a patriotic American Bowie knife from around the time of the Civil War!
Estimate: 8,000 - 12,000
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