American Bowie knife?

Jim McDougall · Yesterday, 05:59 AM

Interesting indeed! and one of the countless and ubiquitous 'Bowie' knives of the American frontier. While I have been intrigued by this since the posting, Ive been going through as many Bowie references as I can find, but despite the many variations this has been hard to match, mostly the hilt.

The scabbard is of course more recent, but the knife itself seems 19th century, probably 1870s+ and the blade might be older. The scabbard with the brass furniture type tacks are of course a familiar American Indian convention using these to decorate leather items and rifle stocks, and acquired from trade .

I found one Bowie, 1850s, with this style gadrooned hilt, but this one having a steel pommel cap and ferrule, cross guard, suggesting a possible model for the brass one here. These frontier knives were fashioned by it seems artisans from almost every metal work related trade, gunsmiths, blacksmiths in addition to the more notable knife makers.

While the term 'Bowie' for these typically large bladed knives became a cliche for any large frontier or hunting knife, these kinds of knives were already popular in America, and being produced in degree in England in Sheffield shops. It was in the years after Bowies famed 'Sandbar' fight and of course the Alamo that his name became the eponym for these kinds of knofe.

Picture of the example tomorrow.

Yesterday, 05:59 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,833	Interesting indeed! and one of the countless and ubiquitous 'Bowie' knives of the American frontier. While I have been intrigued by this since the posting, Ive been going through as many Bowie references as I can find, but despite the many variations this has been hard to match, mostly the hilt. The scabbard is of course more recent, but the knife itself seems 19th century, probably 1870s+ and the blade might be older. The scabbard with the brass furniture type tacks are of course a familiar American Indian convention using these to decorate leather items and rifle stocks, and acquired from trade . I found one Bowie, 1850s, with this style gadrooned hilt, but this one having a steel pommel cap and ferrule, cross guard, suggesting a possible model for the brass one here. These frontier knives were fashioned by it seems artisans from almost every metal work related trade, gunsmiths, blacksmiths in addition to the more notable knife makers. While the term 'Bowie' for these typically large bladed knives became a cliche for any large frontier or hunting knife, these kinds of knives were already popular in America, and being produced in degree in England in Sheffield shops. It was in the years after Bowies famed 'Sandbar' fight and of course the Alamo that his name became the eponym for these kinds of knofe. Picture of the example tomorrow.