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This is on top of my must see while @ the Arkansas show. Thanks to Buddy, Mark and Lin for bringing this to BF.
Bing
Bing
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A Sure Defense: The Bowie Knife in America
- Thread starter HTMD
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- Aug 16, 2001
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- 852
I went to the grand opening last night. All I can say is very impressive. So many great bowies in one place, and a lot of them rare and not shown before. Especially the Bell's, wow! and Price's, and Will and Finck. If you are a fan of James Black knives, and I am, this exhibit will make your day. A definite must see. Also a huge thank you to the museum, Mark, Mr. Worthen, Lin, Buddy, and everyone involved in putting it on.
Brion
Brion
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- Oct 8, 2001
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- 12,336
Question: Do they allow entrants to take photos? I'll assume yes, but some museums have limits.
Coop
Coop
A few random shots of the events this weekend. I was greatly impressed with Jack Edmonson's portrayal of Jim Bowie. You could have heard a pin drop while he was relating the sandbar account from his (Jim Bowie's) view, first person, as they say. This was done within feet of the life size sculpture of the fight. He would look at the Norris Wright effigy as if it were alive and still a threat.
Mark Zaleski was more than a little excited about this exhibit. Here he is showing the Bell knives.
Mark showing the Bell knives to ABKA members Josh Phillips and Peter Thomas. It was a pleasure to get to know these find gentlemen. They were instrumental, along with Mark and others, to the existence to this exhibit.
Speaking of instrumental, these ladies were. They worked very hard and deserve a pat on the back. Left to right, Hattie, Amanda, Donna, and Nicki. Donna is chief exhibit curator.
This is Zack Reeves, who I introduced earlier. Here he is doing some last minute obsessing over the Bell knife case. As you tell, the Bell knives were a focus to a sector of the visitors.
Mark Zaleski was more than a little excited about this exhibit. Here he is showing the Bell knives.
Mark showing the Bell knives to ABKA members Josh Phillips and Peter Thomas. It was a pleasure to get to know these find gentlemen. They were instrumental, along with Mark and others, to the existence to this exhibit.
Speaking of instrumental, these ladies were. They worked very hard and deserve a pat on the back. Left to right, Hattie, Amanda, Donna, and Nicki. Donna is chief exhibit curator.
This is Zack Reeves, who I introduced earlier. Here he is doing some last minute obsessing over the Bell knife case. As you tell, the Bell knives were a focus to a sector of the visitors.
I had to divide it up. so it would fit.
BR Hughes and Gary Zaleski are talking about the folders on display.
This was a very pleasant event which the roving fiddler contributed nicely. The ladies are not really dancing, just animated.
The blacksmith shop receives a visit from the distinguished Col. Jim Bowie.
Sculptor Roy Butler installing his handy work just before opening.
I encourage any who have photos to follow up with more posts. Thanks
BR Hughes and Gary Zaleski are talking about the folders on display.
This was a very pleasant event which the roving fiddler contributed nicely. The ladies are not really dancing, just animated.
The blacksmith shop receives a visit from the distinguished Col. Jim Bowie.
Sculptor Roy Butler installing his handy work just before opening.
I encourage any who have photos to follow up with more posts. Thanks
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2006
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- 13,363
Thanks for the great photos Lin and for sharing the newspaper article.
My schedule for the last couple years has kept me form attending knife shows. However, the AKA is one of my favorite shows and attending such will most likely be my only opportunity to attend this outstanding exhibit.
My schedule for the last couple years has kept me form attending knife shows. However, the AKA is one of my favorite shows and attending such will most likely be my only opportunity to attend this outstanding exhibit.
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2013
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If you knew someone with an Iron Mistress knife made by nelson cooper himself and a rauna mexican border knife (also made by rauna when he was alive) AND a moran fighting knife with curly maple and silver wire inlay handle (again, made by the man himself...waited 7 years on a list to have it made) would that be interesting to anyone here?
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2001
- Messages
- 40
Thanks to everyone who came out to the opening, and especially for the kind words. I feel like we've created something of real importance for the knife community with this exhibit. You've got six months to get to Little Rock before it's gone forever, get there while you can!
Absolutely -- just no flash photography. Take all the photos you like. I will add that a great effort has been made by the staff (particularly Zach, Andy, and Donna) to present many of the most significant and/or complex knives in such a way that they are viewable from many different angles -- in some cases you can really get a 360 degree view. You can see that in the case dedicated to Samuel Bell knives for example.
I have been getting a lot of questions about the forthcoming exhibit catalogue, and understand that the Museum's gift shop already has received a large number of phone calls from people who would like to purchase one. We have a lot of work to do on it yet, but Buddy has us in great shape with the photography. With the exhibit's opening in the rear view mirror, our efforts will now shift to production of the catalogue. I'll let you know when it's ready.
Mark Z
Absolutely -- just no flash photography. Take all the photos you like. I will add that a great effort has been made by the staff (particularly Zach, Andy, and Donna) to present many of the most significant and/or complex knives in such a way that they are viewable from many different angles -- in some cases you can really get a 360 degree view. You can see that in the case dedicated to Samuel Bell knives for example.
I have been getting a lot of questions about the forthcoming exhibit catalogue, and understand that the Museum's gift shop already has received a large number of phone calls from people who would like to purchase one. We have a lot of work to do on it yet, but Buddy has us in great shape with the photography. With the exhibit's opening in the rear view mirror, our efforts will now shift to production of the catalogue. I'll let you know when it's ready.
Mark Z
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2001
- Messages
- 40
For some reason BF won't let me reply to post #100, I've been trying for a couple of days. Anyway, in response to Coop's comment about the quote, that quote comes from the Houston Daily Post of Jan. 1-2, 1889 (hard to read in the photo) and I believe that Bernard Levine was the first to discover it.
I worked hard at finding new and little-known quotes from the bowie knife era to support the aspects we're highlighting, there are quite a few in the exhibit and I'll probably add more in the book. Here's one I particularly liked:
The Bowie knife is not a vulgar instrument. On the contrary, it is classic. The only objection to it is that it is very much patronized by border ruffians and members of Congress. New York Herald, Apr 16, 1860. (This came in the wake of the Potter-Pryor affair which is a highlight of the exhibit.)
Mark
I worked hard at finding new and little-known quotes from the bowie knife era to support the aspects we're highlighting, there are quite a few in the exhibit and I'll probably add more in the book. Here's one I particularly liked:
The Bowie knife is not a vulgar instrument. On the contrary, it is classic. The only objection to it is that it is very much patronized by border ruffians and members of Congress. New York Herald, Apr 16, 1860. (This came in the wake of the Potter-Pryor affair which is a highlight of the exhibit.)
Mark
The importance of these quotes cant be over stated. They provide "dots" that can be connected along with photos and articles from the period to give us a more accurate picture of the subject matter. The install crew scattered them throughout the gallery. This one was moved to a better location after looking at it, but it shows the thought that went into it.
This is the case showing some D-Guard Bowies usually associated with the confederate soldiers. You might recognize some from other references. The case was being installed at the time of the photo. Notice the mounting wires need to be trimmed. These wires and all contact surfaces are covered with felt or an acid free shrink wrap.
Here is a clever feature. A touch screen where you can "design" a bowie. Mix and match known blades, guards, and handles till you like it, then print it onto a folding greeting card-like paper. Youngsters like this. There is also another flat screen monitor with clips from the old Jim Bowie series and from the Iron Mistress movie.
This is the case showing some D-Guard Bowies usually associated with the confederate soldiers. You might recognize some from other references. The case was being installed at the time of the photo. Notice the mounting wires need to be trimmed. These wires and all contact surfaces are covered with felt or an acid free shrink wrap.
Here is a clever feature. A touch screen where you can "design" a bowie. Mix and match known blades, guards, and handles till you like it, then print it onto a folding greeting card-like paper. Youngsters like this. There is also another flat screen monitor with clips from the old Jim Bowie series and from the Iron Mistress movie.
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- Dec 31, 2003
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- 335
The importance of these quotes cant be over stated. They provide "dots" that can be connected along with photos and articles from the period to give us a more accurate picture of the subject matter. The install crew scattered them throughout the gallery. This one was moved to a better location after looking at it, but it shows the thought that went into it.
This is the case showing some D-Guard Bowies usually associated with the confederate soldiers. You might recognize some from other references. The case was being installed at the time of the photo. Notice the mounting wires need to be trimmed. These wires and all contact surfaces are covered with felt or an acid free shrink wrap.
Here is a clever feature. A touch screen where you can "design" a bowie. Mix and match known blades, guards, and handles till you like it, then print it onto a folding greeting card-like paper. Youngsters like this. There is also another flat screen monitor with clips from the old Jim Bowie series and from the Iron Mistress movie.
I would love to see that interactive model with different knife handles. I asked a web site developer about doing the same thing for my website and all they told is that it would be really expensive.
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2001
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- 40
I don't know what that feature cost or how difficult it was to implement, but the concept as it was implemented for the exhibit is a relatively simple one. It's done well though -- an easy to understand system for kids, good quality images, a really catchy intro screen, and the cards it prints out are pretty cool.
Mark Z
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