Anyone collect the old Colonial/Imperial Mini Bowies?

[T. Erdelyi]

You remember them, the little approx. 2" overall length mini bowies ya could pick up in the Poconos, or South of the Border, (Hello Pedro).

Almost any vacation spot in the USA had a souvenir stand and next to the pop guns and rubberband guns, usually close to the corncob pipes you'd find the little bowies, usually nesled in their leather sheaths, (which were very well made considerin' how cheap the knives were), usually they were just marked USA.

I had a small collection of these, (some I sold on ebay awhile back to help pay some bills) some very nice little miniatures, some with Ivory scales, some with jigged bone, most were so dull ya couldn't hurt yerself unless ya really wanted too.

I gotta dig out the few I have left and snap a few pics, just curious if any of you guys have any pics of some from your personal collection or even better yet from yer boyhood, I'd like to hear yer stories.

I know every time we went out as a family I'd try to get one, we played Cowboys and Indians on many a summer night as a kid while on vacation, brings back memories of a simpler time.

 

[navihawk]

We would go up N.H. on weekend trips when I was kid with my grandparents. I always managed to get one of these with a leather sheat. The one that sticks out the most was one with a wood handled and a compass in it.

This is the closest I come now.Most of these I think are imperial or colonial. they are unmarked.

 

[runninmike]

I had a couple, one from Glacier NP, one from a souvenir shop in Lincoln, Mt.
I don't have either of those, but funny enough some 30 years later, a friend brought me a similar knife from Switzerland in a red sheath with a Swiss cross-I still have this one.
best-Mike

 

[Pipeman]

Up here in Canada all our tourist spots sold little folders and fixed blade minis with Mounties on them, usually on horseback. I must have had 10 or so over the years. I actually now live where we used to cottage back in the 50s and the same general store still sells similar mini knives. It`s sad that laws and paranoid parents keep kids from having these memories of whittlin and playing mumblypeg. Although, I have made two knives for my 11 year old grand daughter, one for skinning and one for whittling. ;-))

Best regards

Robin

 

[STDK]

I have about 5 of the fixed blades souvenir knifes. But I also have 58 of the Imperial folding souvenir knives. I think I have them in 10 different patterns but all are Imperials. They take me back to my childhood and also make a neat looking display.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

I haven't dug mine out for pics yet, still diggin' out from the snow and catchin' up on the runnin' around I didn't get to but I'll get some pics up, I promise but in the mean time I'd sure like to see pictures of your souvenir minis.

I always managed to get one of these with a leather sheat. The one that sticks out the most was one with a wood handled and a compass in it.

I have 2 of those looked like they were a nested set, I'll see if I could dig those out too, it always made me laugh 'cause the compass always lined up with the high carbon steel blade luckily I never got lost and had to use it to find my way home.

 

[Absintheur]

Sorta like this?

 

[knarfeng]

I had one as a boy that I got at Marineland of the Pacific. IIRC, it was a bit less pointy than Absintheur's.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Sorta like this?

Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout.:thumbup:

 

[navihawk]

Thanks guys, now i'm going to be looking for those now. I see them sometimes in antique shops.:thumbup:

 

[Absintheur]

here is another interesting miniature, this cap lifter actually has a sharpened edge on the axe, genuine MOTS scales, fishtail bolster and is marked Imperial USA. The peanut is for scale...

 

[glennbad]

Here's one I have NIP...

Sorry, not a closeup pic.

Glenn

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Here are a few I dug up:

The white handled one has:

M. PRESSNER CO
JAPAN​

Stamped on the tang

The one with the compass

MAFCO
JAPAN​

stamped on the tang

Finally the black handled Imperial Cub Hunter

COLONIAL
PROV. RI
U.S.A.​

stamped on the tang

 

[navihawk]

The next time I go up to N.H. I'm going into a few trading posts. I think ythe still sell those little knives.

 

[Jamo]

Those little knives I just have to share .

 

[tongueriver]

This may be slightly off-topic, but it is an itty bitty fixed blade knife in MOP, which I really like. Sterling bolster.

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[Jamo]

Hello Cal how are you mate . I have only just started posting pictures if you haven't noticed .
I like that Sterling mate . Nice MOP . I bought a miniture knife ,fork with New York on it ,was supposed to be solid gold . Won't even show a picture.
Here is a full tanged Colonial Bowie . And a high carbon Congress folder .

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Nice Jamo, love the display, thanks to everyone for your posts, I think the production miniatures will continue to become collectibles as their scarcity becomes more evident.

I know as a kid I must have had at least 20 of those over the course of my childhood and I have not a one left.

 

[Jamo]

Thats ok Mate . i wanted to buy some when I was a kid My father just laughed at me .
I felt the collector bug then . I survived on pricelists with pictures and Flyers .
have a good oneand don't let the Rat Pack get you down .
Then again I know the feeling.

 

[comoha]

I remember having a mini-bowie as a kid. I bought it at a souvenir store at Mount Rushmore in the early '80s. Despite being pretty crappily made I really liked it. Ha.