Caveat Emptor Bowies

[eisman]

Now it's not too hard to find fake Bowie's; Civil War, Confederate, Texas, etc. But it's not often you find two identical ones, with different stampings, for sale at the same time. This pair are located hundreds of miles apart, but had to have come from the same source at one time.

Here we have a (supposed) Will & Finck:

And here an alleged Mike Price:

Here's a close shot of the stamp on one:

At one time I seriously thought about buying stuff like this just to get it off the market, but it didn't take long to realize my pockets aren't that deep. So I'll just keep pointing out some of the dross in hopes that it keeps someone from getting burned.

 

[Will Power]

Good work

One day, GECs will reach this level of counterfeit & deceit due to collector arrogance & greed

 

[eisman]

I highly recommend anyone interested in knives have a copy of "Counterfeiting Antique Cutlery" by Witcher. It's a good read even if you're not into old knives, because it really points out details to look for and how to clean and preserve what you have. Not easy to find, and not cheap, but very helpful.

 

[Arathol]

Deane & Adams from the 1970s maybe....Mass produced fake civil war and 19th century bowies with all manner of stampings.

 

[afishhunter]

I play it "safe".
If identified as a "bowie" I steer clear.

Those look similar to the reproductions Dixie Gun Works sold to reeinactors back in the 1980's, complete with a historically accurate tang stamp, and inspector's marks, where applicable.

As of a year ago, they still had an "exact duplicate" of the double edged Damascus knife Davie Crocket (or was it Danny Boone?) allegedly carried and had at The Alamo.

I think they still have fake historically accurate to include all markings Civil War swords of both sides for the reeinactor market. No doubt some are sold to gullible collectors by someone who bought it from Dixie.
Same for some of the revolvers.
A good friend bought an "original" Remington 1858 New Army revolver at a gunshow, maybe 30 years ago now.
I never saw it, but as he described it to me on the phone, I had the unpleasant duty to tell him it was an artificially aged, recently produced replica. Too many things "wrong" with it. Cylinder chambers and bore too small, serial number in the wrong location, and almost ground off ... the clincher was a barely visible "black powder only" on the barrel, and after he looked them up online, faint Spanish or Italian proof marks.
Needless to say, he was unable to contact that seller or get his money back.

If anything is sold as "an original" CW or earlier, I take a hard pass.