MINT**Large, English \'Fred James\' ‘James & Lowe’ Sheffield Made Hunter’s Companion \'Land Of The Free Home Of The Brave \' Bowie Knife With Etched Blade, Stag Antler hilt With Brass Horse Head Pommel & Brass mounted Leather Scabbard. Sn 21334 Knives

*MINT*HORSE HEAD POMMEL*English 'Fred James' ‘James & Lowe’ Sheffield Made Hunter’s Companion 'Land Of The Free Home Of The Brave ' Bowie Knife With Etched Blade, Stag Antler hilt With Brass Horse Head Pommel & Brass mounted Leather Scabbard. Sn 21334 - 21334

Before his death in 1986 Fred James was Sheffield's best known Bowie Knife maker. Fred James worked for George Wostenholm the famous Sheffield England knife maker who made many of the original Bowie Knives that were exported to the United States during the mid 19th century. When Wostenholm closed its doors Fred apparently helped himself to many of the 19th century patterns, dies and stamps of his previous employer, and went into the business in the early 1970’s of making Bowie Knives himself. The examples of his work that were unmarked found their way into the “antique” arms dealers in the U.K., especially London. Many U.S. knife collectors were also fooled early on thinking that they were buying authentic 1850’s era Bowie Knives . Fred made/assembled knives with his wife Ivy, and for a while also had a Sandy Lowe who worked along with him. Some of his knives were also marked correctly Fred James, or James & Lowe. Today those Bowies stamped with either of these marks are very collectible in their own right and have a ready market among knife collectors (see pages 214-215 of The Sheffield Knife Book By Tweedale). This James & Lowe Sheffield made Bowie Knife & scabbard are in near mint condition. The knife Stag Antler hilt With Brass Horse Head Pommel. It has an ornate brass finger guard and the 9 ¾” Bowie blade is polished steel with scalloped decoration on the back edge (16 ¼” overall). The blade is 2” at its widest and is 6mm thick. One side of the blade is etched with elaborate scroll work and wording "America Land Of The Free and The Home Of The Brave" and Americans Ask For Nothing But What Is Right And Submit To Nothing That’s Wrong’ wither crossed banners of America & Great Britain. The blade also has the American Eagle and ‘Hunter’s Companion’. The ricasso is stamped "James & Lowe Sheffield". The scabbard is brown leather with gold foliate decoration and brass throat mount and chape. The throat mount has a frog locket. The price for this desirable Bowie includes UK delivery. Sn 21334

£975.00