Sam Houston's bowie

C L Wilkins

C L Wilkins

Joined
Mar 18, 1999
Messages
2,112
This knife just sold for $270,000


knife.jpg


For the full article, click on:Sam Houston's bowie returns to Texas

This would be a very nice piece to pattern for a period reproduction.


C Wilkins
 
Awesome....More pictures and spec's are needed..Does anyone know where I could find some ?
Bruce
 
Craig, do you know if that knife could have been made by Noah Smithwick? It has similar lines (except larger)to a Smithwich Bowie replica that Jack Crain was making some years ago.
Smithwick made a knife for James Bowie, can't see why he couldn't have made this one too. He was in Texas all during the early years. Leaving, I believe, at the beginning of the Civil War. Strangely enough, he moved to my home town of Santa Ana, California, where he lived out the rest of his life.

BTW, I am very glad that this knife won't disappear into a private collection, but go back home, where it belongs!!:D
 
Bruce, in a link on Craigs original post, about a week ago, somewhere here at BFC, it gave some dimensions. I believe the blade was 13"X 2", and I think the handle guard was about 6", but I'm not positive. Craig, hopefully will remember where he posted the original thread.
Sorry I can't be more helpful.
Edited to add; Bruce, here's a link I found on another forum.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/topstory/1654549
 
Glad to see that it's coming back to/staying in Texas.

And yes, I'm a yank transplanted to OKC, and still saying this. don't ask. :)
 
Thanks Mike..Just out of curiosity now does anyone know if the last rivet in the handle is missing or is it a thong hole,Also is this a full tang-framed-or one piece handle ?
Bruce
 
beknives, disregard the e-mail about borrowing the $$$$ apparantly it is too late :(

Agreed it should remain in TX!
 
The original post was over in the Blade discussion forum under Sam Houston's Bowie goes on the auction block. I know no more than what I saw in the Houston Chronicle but would like to know more about this as some of you would. I have looked long and hard at the Searles Bowie and would like to be able study this one as well if the opportunity would ever avail itself. The name of the buyer was kept private so unless it shows up in an exhibit or at a museum that opportunity may never happen.

One other thought that comes to light is a very sobering one as far as being a knifemaker goes. Although (to me) it is important who the maker is/was, it is apparently evident that it is much more important in the long run on who the person that ultimately owns or owned the knife actually was. For instance, although a very, very fine piece, the aforementioned Searles bowie would not be nearly as revered today if it were not for the fact that it was a gift given by Rezin Bowie. The same with the "Sam Houston" bowie. One other example would be Davy Crockett's rifle. If it wasn't for it belonging to him it would just be another rifle. This is one reason among many others why we need to strive to do the best that our abilities allow us to do. We are all just humble cutlers.

But the thing to really think about...can you imagine the look on that 10 year old boy's face when Sam Houston gave him the knife that he actually carried at the battle of San Jacinto? That would have been worth the price of admission!

C Wilkins
 
Thank you CL for posting this, as I was unaware of the aucton and sale to a Texan. Great to know the bowie is coming home. Hopefully it will be in an exhibit here and we will be able to view and take some pics. Again, thanks for bringing this to our attention.
Ken (wwjd)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top