A True American Edged Weapon: the Bowie Knife

laEspadaAncha · 5th April 2011, 08:30 PM

Hi Glen,

Thank you for posting both the photos of earlier period examples as well as examples of the later productions in your own fixed-blade collection. My collection is similarly far more heavily stocked with 20th century Bowie knives than earlier pieces. A vast majority of my Bowies are found with Buck, Case, Ka-Bar, Gerber, Western, and others' names stamped on the blade, a testimony in my opinion to the enduring nature of the design. Consider that the Bowie-profile Mark 2 - not the Vietnam-era dagger made by Gerber, but the mil spec issue introduced during WWII - is still the standard-issue fighting knife issued today by the USMC.

Nice BMF by the way...

Below are a couple images of old daguerreotypes of Civil War soldiers armed with Bowie knives:

Jim McDougall · 6th April 2011, 01:11 AM

Chris, absolutely magnificently written post on these historic knives!!! You have truly described the mystique of these icons of Americana, and I am really looking forward to seeing examples of others. What fantastic presentation in your examples!!!

I wanted to point out that coincidentally, the current issue of "Man at Arms" magazine has an article, "The Confederate Bowie Knives of Thomas Leech & Co. Memphis Novelty Works" by Josh Phillips (April 2011, Vol.33, #2). I just wanted to add that for those interested in the Bowie.

Thank you so much for posting this!!!

All the best,
Jim

laEspadaAncha · 6th April 2011, 07:43 AM

Hi Jim,

Thank you for the kind words...

And thank you for the heads-up on the latest Man at Arms issue. I have a couple others I may put up, though as I mentioned in the last post, a vast (vast) majority of my Bowies are post-1900...

Best,

Chris

5th April 2011, 08:30 PM	#1
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	Hi Glen, Thank you for posting both the photos of earlier period examples as well as examples of the later productions in your own fixed-blade collection. My collection is similarly far more heavily stocked with 20th century Bowie knives than earlier pieces. A vast majority of my Bowies are found with Buck, Case, Ka-Bar, Gerber, Western, and others' names stamped on the blade, a testimony in my opinion to the enduring nature of the design. Consider that the Bowie-profile Mark 2 - not the Vietnam-era dagger made by Gerber, but the mil spec issue introduced during WWII - is still the standard-issue fighting knife issued today by the USMC. Nice BMF by the way... Below are a couple images of old daguerreotypes of Civil War soldiers armed with Bowie knives:

6th April 2011, 01:11 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,459	Chris, absolutely magnificently written post on these historic knives!!! You have truly described the mystique of these icons of Americana, and I am really looking forward to seeing examples of others. What fantastic presentation in your examples!!! I wanted to point out that coincidentally, the current issue of "Man at Arms" magazine has an article, "The Confederate Bowie Knives of Thomas Leech & Co. Memphis Novelty Works" by Josh Phillips (April 2011, Vol.33, #2). I just wanted to add that for those interested in the Bowie. Thank you so much for posting this!!! All the best, Jim

6th April 2011, 07:43 AM	#3
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	Hi Jim, Thank you for the kind words... And thank you for the heads-up on the latest Man at Arms issue. I have a couple others I may put up, though as I mentioned in the last post, a vast (vast) majority of my Bowies are post-1900... Best, Chris