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British Knives and Bowies

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WWII 1944 British MkII Pattern Gurkha Kukri & Scabbard By M.A.D 1944. 16276. - 16276
This is an original MkII Pattern WWII dated British Gurkha Military Kukri (Although the history of the kukri is long in Nepal, the knife was first seen by the British during the Anglo-Gorkha War of 1814-16. Wherever the Gurkhas fought, the kukri went with them and there wasn't a single battle where the kukri was not used. It has a 12 ¼” single edged Kukri blade with fullers & notch. It measures 17 ¾ ” overall. The wood handle with raised central band is secured by two large rivets and it has a steel pommel plate. The blade is date/manufacturer stamped ‘M.A.D 1944’. It comes with its original leather covered wood scabbard which has a small brass chape. The scabbard is undamaged *3 small drill holes on upper inner edge* and the leather intact with just areas of light service wear. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 16276. (Hunting & Survival)
£495.00

WWI Private Purchase Trench Knife and Leather Sheath by Manufacturer Wade & Butcher Sheffield England. ED 2400. - ED 2400
A trench knife is a combat knife designed to kill or incapacitate an enemy at close quarters, such as in a trench or other confined area. It was developed as a close combat weapon for soldiers attacking enemy trenches during the First World War. William and Samuel Butcher were the sons of James Butcher, a cutler in Charles Street Sheffield. In the directories of 1821 and 1822 – Wade & Butcher – which traded from 85 Arundel Street Sheffield. The ‘Butcher’ is not identified, but it was presumably Samuel. The other principal was Robert Wade, who had been listed as a razor manufacturer in Arundel Street Sheffield since 1816. With a 12 ¾ cm (22 ¾ overall) single edged blade stamped ‘Wade & Butcher Sheffield England’ to the ricasso to one side with the Company trademark to the other showing light age related staining. The pineapple plastic grips are held with 3 pins. The silver coloured finger guard has minor play but is intact. The brown leather scabbard has an integrated belt loop and the stitching is all intact. The price includes UK delivery. ED 2400. (Small fixed blades box)
£395.00

**QUALITY MAKERS**C1950 Two Large Display Cased Sets Of John Nowill & Sons Sheffield Cutlers Factory Shop Window Knives & Assorted Cutlery. Sn 21501 - 21501
The earliest record of the business is in the books of the ‘Cutlers Company on 27TH April 1700. This family company was first based in Meadow Street Sheffield, but later moved to Scotland Street around 1840. It was in 1842 that the first of John Nowill sons, William, joined the business after finishing his apprenticeship. His maker’s marks of ‘D*’ and ‘CROSSKEYS’ remain the marks of the company to this day (see Tweedale’s The Sheffield Knife Book page 242). These are 2 original C1950 Display Cased Sets Of John Nowill & Sons Sheffield Cutlers Factory Shop Window Knives & other assorted cutlery. Most of the knife blades contained in both displays are signed ‘J.Nowill & Sons-Sheffield above ‘D’ and Crosskeys’ apart from 4 of the white ivorine or bone handled knives in one of the displays (right hand display in 1st image), which are signed ‘Frank Mills & Co Ltd Wearwell Stainles Steel’, a cutler connected to Nowills ( Frank Mills (1860-1932) was a clothes dealer and table knife blade grinder. The first directory listing of Frank Mills was in 1893 in Charlotte Street, as a table knife manufacturer. In 1903, it became Frank Mills & Co Ltd. Frank Mills, died on Christmas Day in 1932, afterwards, the firm’s address was 135 Scotland Street (the same as Nowill, which had acquired Mills’ assets and marks including ‘Wearwell’, see Tweedale's Directory of Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers 1740-2013 [2nd edition]). All of the cutlery in both displays are securely wire bound to their felt backboards which both have J. Nowill & Sons & trademark labelling. The 2 piece glazed wood frames are screwed together at the rear (to avoid damage we have not attempted to remove the tools and blades from their mounts). All of the knives and other cutlery are clean and fully functional. Each case measures 36”x18”x 3 ½”. The price is for both cased displays and includes UK delivery (due to size and risk of glass damage International delivery is not available). Sn 21501 (office in front of storeroom door)
£395.00

WW1 Era British Officer’s Private Purchase Bowie Trench Fighting Knife With Ebony Handle & German Silver Fittings Blade Marked With Kings Crown ‘GR’ By Rodgers & Sons Sheffield With Original Leather Scabbard. Sn 12569. - 12569
Joseph Rodgers is perhaps rivalled only by George Wostenholm in terms of its importance to Sheffield cutlery and its fame around the world. The mark of The Star and Maltese Cross was registered by the Rodgers Company in 1764. With increasing business in what is thought to have been exclusively Pocket Knives, in around 1780, the firm moved to larger premises at No. 6 Norfolk Street. Eventually, as Rodgers expanded, it would acquire surrounding property until the famous Norfolk Street Works occupied the entire plot. Joseph Rodgers’ success is evident in the firm’s appointment to five successive sovereigns - George IV, William IV, Queen Victoria, Edward II and George V. Rodgers & Sons made popular private purchase weapons during WW1 including trench daggers. This a is an original WW1 era British Officer’s private purchase trench fighting knife by Joseph Rodgers & Sons with its original leather scabbard. It has an ebony handle which has a deep chequered design. The pommel has a small, old, stable chip. It has a German Silver ferrule and finger guard. It’s slim, clean, 6 ¾” single edged, Bowie shaped steel blade is marked ‘J. Rodgers & Sons 6 Norfolk St, Sheffield, England’ together with Kings Crown and ‘GR’ (George Rex) and the reverse with Star and Maltese Cross trademark. The knife measures 11” overall length. Its original brown leather scabbard has a riveted integral belt loop and retaining strap with small buckle. The top 2 rivets on the rear of the scabbard which form the belt loop are absent but an old contemporary repair secures the top of the belt loop to the scabbard body. The rivets could easily be replaced. All leather and stitching of the scabbard are intact. Price includes UK delivery. Sn 12569.
£795.00

British Wostenholm Sheffield IXL Custom Hand Made Hunting / Skinning Knife With Stag Horn Scales & Leather Scabbard. ED 2503. - ED 2503
Along with Joseph Rodgers, George Wostenholm is possibly the most famous name in Sheffield cutlery. Geo Wostenholm’s first knife making works were established in 1785. The Wostenholm business now forms part of the Egginton Group, Sheffield. This is an excellent Custom Hand Made Hunting / Skinning Knife by Wostenholm. It has Stag Horn scales with ornate tooled brass finger guard and pommel bolsters. One finger guard bolster is marked ‘Wostenholm IXL Sheffield England’, the other ‘Made In Sheffield’ both within foliate tooled decoration. It has a clean 4" single edged blade which is razor sharp and measures 8 ¼” overall length. The dagger is complete with original brown leather open top scabbard with rear belt loop. The price includes UK delivery. ED 2503. (Small fixed blades box)
£245.00

Victorian Era Colquhoun & Cadman Sheffield ‘Go Ahead’ Trademark Bowie Knife With Stag Antler Scales & Original Leather Scabbard. Sn 21420 - 21420
Edward Dewing Colquhoun ( 1833-1907) & Edwin Cadman (1856-1937) were Sheffield cutlers based at the Douglas Works 113 Arundel Street making knives, joiner’s tools, razors and ice skates. The partnership created their ‘Go Ahead’ trademark which would be sold to Thomas Ellin & Co shortly before Colquhoun’s death in 1907(see page 161 of Tweedale’s Directory Of Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers Expanded 2nd Edition). This is a nice original Victorian ‘Go Ahead’ trademark Bowie by Colquhoun & Cadman with original Scabbard. It has undamaged stag antler scales secured by steel pins. One scale is mounted with a void German silver bar and it has an oval German silver cross guard. It has a 7” single edged, steel bowie blade, signed by the makers ‘Colquhoun & Cadman Sheffield’ together with their ‘Go Ahead’ Trademark. The Bowie measures just under 11 ½” overall length. Its original open top brown leather scabbard has a single copper riveted belt loop to the rear and stitched seam to the front. The leather of the scabbard is clean with just very light small areas of carry scuffs. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 21420 (in Bowies box)
£645.00

Victorian Joseph Rodgers & Sons 6 Norfolk Street, Sheffield ‘Hunting Knife’ Folding Bowie With Polished Horn Scales, German Silver Fittings & Later Quality Bespoke Made Scabbard. Sn 21297 - 21297
Joseph Rodgers & Sons were first established as cutlers at ‘Holy Croft’ Sheffield C1724. By 1780 the firm was firmly established and well known for making quality knives. Having outgrown their Holy Croft premises moved to what was to become their worldwide famous address 6 Norfolk Street Sheffield. Originally making small edged weapons the Company moved into manufacture of large Bowies when American & British Empire markets expanded in the Victorian era (see pages 522-530 of Tweedale’s Directory Of Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers Expanded 2nd Edition). This is an excellent Victorian era Bowie made at Rodgers & Sons 6 Norfolk Street premises. The 7” long, steel blade with medial ridge has polished horn scales secured by steel pins. It has German silver bolsters at the pommel and at the cross guard. The lower bolsters are ribbed and engraved ‘No6’ (Norfolk Street). It has a swivelling brass finger guard consisting of 2 plates secured to the blade shank by a single brass pin allowing movement of the cross guard as normally found on folding Bowies. The blade, on one side is marked crisply at the ricasso, 'No 6 Sheffield, Steel' and near to the spine ‘HUNTING KNIFE’. The reverse is stamped with Rodgers Maltese type cross trade marks. The blade has just light age related staining. The blade is released for closing by depression of a bar on the spine of the hilt. Open the knife is 12 ½” overall length, closed 8 ½”. Its later quality made brown leather scabbard has a full flap cover with eyelet that fastens to a brass lug on the front of the scabbard. To the rear it has a single riveted belt loop. All leather & stitching of the scabbard are clean & intact. The price for this Victorian folding Bowie by one of the famous Sheffield cutlers includes UK delivery. Sn 21297 (drawers Office)
£575.00

**LARGE** Victorian / Edwardian American Wild West Era / African Export Piece S&J Kitchin Sheffield ‘Snake Brand’ Hunting Knife With Polished Horn Scales Inset With Brass Hunting Scenes & Later Bespoke Leather Scabbard. Sn 21296 - 21296
The "Snake Brand" trademark on cutlery was registered to Samuel Kitchin of Sheffield at least as early as the 1860's. The Kitchin family settled in Shefield around 1737 (see page 219 of the Sheffield Knife Book by Tweedale). The founder Samuel was regularly listed as a cutler in Sheffield directories. By 1868 he had been joined by John (possibly son) at the Soho works in Summerfield Street. In the early 20th century the Company exported knives to Wild West USA and Africa (marketing to African tribesmen). This is an excellent original large S&J Kitchin Sheffield ‘Snake Brand’ hunting knife no doubt an export piece for the American or African market. The full tang knife has a 14” long single edged steel blade which is 2” broad at its widest and it measures 19” overall length. The blade has just light staining consistent with age and no damage to the cutting edge. One side of the blade has Kitchin’s ‘Snake Brand’ trademark. The knife has polished horn scales, each inset with brass hunting scene figures depicting a Stag being chased by hunting dogs and mounted riders. The scales are secured by brass pins. The knife is contained in its later quality made bespoke open top leather scabbard. The leather has tooled decoration to the front and a single belt loop to the rear. All leather and stitching are clean and intact. The price for this impressive knife worthy of further research includes UK delivery. Sn 21296 (hunting & survival box)
£625.00

**RARE, ORIGINAL, STERILE** WW2 British Commando/ SOE / Special Forces Smatchet & Scabbard. Sn 21422 - 21422
In many respects the WW2 British Special Forces Smatchet is one of the most mysterious British issue knives of the period. Its development appears to have been around the same time as the F-S Commando dagger i.e. 1940-41. The Smatchet is listed as equipment issued to Commandos for D-day and are attributed as being used by the Special Operation Executive (SOE). While some examples bear War Dept Broad arrows no examples have been found bearing manufacturer's names (see pages 234 to 237 of The Fairbairn Sykes Fighting Knife & Other Commando Knives By Flook). Illustrated in image 1 is a copy of a period photograph of members of SOE Force 136 with Smatchets (see page 235 plate 14.14 of Flook’s book). This rare, original example of the Smatchet is clean and undamaged. It has the correct large leaf shaped blade 10 ¾” in length and has just light staining consistent with age and original ebonised wood grip. It has a large oval brass cross guard and correct alloy pommel holed for wrist cord. As is common with special forces weapons this smatchet is sterile having no manufacturer or WD marks. Its original open top scabbard is leather over wood former. The leather and stitching are clen and intact. The throat is fitted with a leather retaining strap with press stud fastener and the rear has a riveted belt loop which is intact but has a small stable cut in its mid-section. The price for this rare piece of WW2 Special Forces Equipment includes UK delivery. Sn 21422 (in FS box)
£1,250.00

Victorian James Dixon & Sons Sheffield Bowie Knife With Stag Antler Hilt, German Silver Fittings & Scabbard. Sn 19277 - 19277
Founded in 1806 in Silver Street, Sheffield, James Dixon & Sons was one of the major British manufacturers in the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century (see page 198 of Tweedale’s Directory of Sheffield Cutlers 2nd Edition). This is an excellent Victorian era bowie by James Dixon & Sons. The 14” long, bowie has a solid curved stag antler hilt with German Silver pommel cap. It has a German Silver finger guard and 9 ¼” single edged, steel bowie blade. One side the blade is marked by the maker ‘James Dixon & Sons Sheffield’. The blade has areas of light staining consistent with age. Its original open top leather scabbard has a rear belt loop, German silver throat mount and chape. All leather & stitching of the scabbard are intact. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 19277.
£645.00
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