Late 1800's Sheffield Bowie's/ Crash course.

[MCM]

Have been wanting to pick up a few of these early knives for decades.
Finally decided to just jump in, and learn as I go. Have these 3 in the mail.
So many makers, price ranges etc. Tried to find clean / full blades, and popular makers / importers stamps.
But am not sure what makers are more sought after than others. Prices seem all over the board.
Is there a person or site / page that specializes in these types of knives?
So far have been finding info via Google search.
Thanks in advance!

John Newton & Co.


Alfred Williams


And a Solingen marked knife from the 1950's? 1960's? 80's? No idea. But was priced right.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Very cool Knives

 

[MCM]

2 more in the mail. An 8" and a 5 1/2" I think...

 

[Triton]

Whew, you are braver than I. Old Bowies are one of the most counterfeited things out there. I think to buy antique bowies like with Japanese swords you have to really know your stuff. If you don't you are going to spend a lot of money with pretty haphazard results. In this case I wonder if you haven't purchased a bevy of Bowie style hunters?

 

[MCM]

Whew, you are braver than I. Old Bowies are one of the most counterfeited things out there. I think to buy antique bowies like with Japanese swords you have to really know your stuff. If you don't you are going to spend a lot of money with pretty haphazard results. In this case I wonder if you haven't purchased a bevy of Howie style hunters?

Am playing it safe with Sheffield hunter / Bowies. Late 1800's to early 1900's.
These are not huge $$, and to my knowledge have not really been counterfeited
or at least not much. Pretty easy to spot newer versions of these. That are still being made.
Earlier civil war / pre civil war Bowies scare me. Lots of counterfeits out there. Or knives made from old parts.
I do not have the knowledge to get into those. Most are $500 and up. Up to 10k or more. .
These I posted are not super expensive knives. $150 - 350. Also, the orig sheath and makers mark help quite a bit.
Just shopped through hundreds of them looking for nice examples.
They start around $50.00 that have been heavily sharpened and or pitted, cracked handles etc
.And seldom seem to go for more then 300 on the 6"
Longer blades are a bit more over the common 6".. The 8" I posted above was $340.00.
Tha Solingen knife / wood handle is newer. Paid a whopping $65.00. its older, but not an antique. (1950's?-1980's?) Not sure.

This one made me spit out some beer. On ebay now...$27.00 starting bid. (Ends in 2 days, no bids)
Somebody really got there money's worth.

 

[not2sharp]

Whew, you are braver than I. Old Bowies are one of the most counterfeited things out there. I think to buy antique bowies like with Japanese swords you have to really know your stuff. If you don't you are going to spend a lot of money with pretty haphazard results. In this case I wonder if you haven't purchased a bevy of Howie style hunters?

Can you post a clearer image of the Alfred William markings?

N2s

 

[MCM]

Will have to check that one when it gets here. Might be suspect.....

 

[not2sharp]

Will have to check that one when it gets here. Might be suspect.....



View attachment 2623115

That looks better. Bernard Levine use to warn us to beware of sellers using a bright red background. The color makes it harder to see details.

N2s

 

[MCM]

That looks better. Bernard Levine use to warn us to beware of sellers using a bright red background. The color makes it harder to see details.

N2s

The fakes I have seen look fake. No nice stag, or bone, nice worn leather sheath etc. But am new at these so appriciated the help.
Looked at a bunch of other stamps like it just now, and seems to be OK. Just struck a bit at an angle. It seems.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Congrats on the beautiful examples you've been buying.
I have been in the market for one of these turn of the century hunter Bowie's for quite some time now, but Ebay has not panned out very well.
Prices and condition have never really been right for me.
There is / was a Russell green river available pretty cheap and I got a discount offer from the seller, but the blade had been sharpened a little more than I want.

I will keep looking and one day I will find the right example available for no more than $150, I don't really care if it's a proper turn of the century from Sheffield or one of the later solingen copies as long as it has nice stag and has the size / look I'm after.

 

[MCM]

Congrats on the beautiful examples you've been buying.
I have been in the market for one of these turn of the century hunter Bowie's for quite some time now, but Ebay has not panned out very well.
Prices and condition have never really been right for me.
There is / was a Russell green river available pretty cheap and I got a discount offer from the seller, but the blade had been sharpened a little more than I want.

I will keep looking and one day I will find the right example available for no more than $150, I don't really care if it's a proper turn of the century from Sheffield or one of the later solingen copies as long as it has nice stag and has the size / look I'm after.

Here is what $125 gets you. If you are lucky? Unlucky? Who knows. Its a 7" blade so, figured it was worth it.
As 6" are super common. I wanted nice ones so the 6" were $130, 169 and 230. 8" was almost 3x as much as this 7".
Thats about it. Wanted all the blade lengths. More or less. 6", 7" & 8". Was a fun distraction.

 

[Hickory n steel]

Here is what $125 gets you. If you are lucky? Unlucky? Who knows. Its a 7" blade so, figured it was worth it.
As 6" are super common. I wanted nice ones so the 6" were $130, 169 and 230. 8" was almost 3x as much as this 7".
Thats about it. Wanted all the blade lengths. More or less. 6", 7" & 8". Was a fun distraction.

That's exactly the kind of blade condition I'm after because I want a 120 year old knife that looks it , so maybe my day to score one will eventually come.

 

[MCM]

You are in luck. As they are easier to find than pristine great cond. examples.
But agree, a lot are super pitted, or sharpened to death. No interest in those.