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British Knives and Bowies

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**QUALITY**Victorian Henry Thomas Underwood 56 Haymarket London Head Gamekeepers/ Forestry Axe With Folding Saw Blade**FROM THE DAVID HAYDEN-WRIGHT COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE KNIVES**Sn 20818 - 20818
Henry Thomas Underwood is recorded at 56 Haymarket between 1822 until his death in 1860. Knives continued to be marked ‘Underwood’ until 1925 when the company ceased trading. Before his death in 2006 David Hayden-Wright was a renowned collector of English knives and edged weapons, his many years of experience led him to write his famous collector's bible 'The Heritage of English Knives' which contains 100's of quality descriptions and illustrations of knives and edged weapons. This Victorian axe no doubt a Head Gamekeepers or Forestry piece is in excellent condition and is from the renowned collector & author David Hayden-Wright’s preeminent collection of antique knives. This axe is illustrated and described on page 60 of Hayden-Wright’s book ‘The Heritage Of English Knives’ (the illustration of this Bowie from his book is reproduced in image 1). The steel tang has Walnut scales which have with chequered panel grip sections and steel bolsters. It has a wedge-shaped oblong head struck with the maker’s details, ‘Underwood London’, a tapering rear pean with flat face. The shaft is recessed to snugly fit a folding 7 ¾” steel fine cut tooth saw blade with reinforced back strap edge which the author describes as being ‘as per a tenon saw’. The ricasso of the blade is marked 'Underwood London'. Unfolded the axe and shaft measures 10 ¼” in length. When the saw blade is extended it measures 17 ¾” overall. The price for this quality Victorian piece includes UK delivery. Sn 20818
£695.00

**BEST QUALITY**RARE**Victorian Morton 39 Cheapside London (& Sheffield) ‘Explorer’ Bowie Knife With Leather Scabbard**FROM THE DAVID HAYDEN- WRIGHT COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE KNIVES** Sn 20817 - 20817
J & G Morton, were English cutlers, at 39 Cheapside, London. The partners were Joseph Morton (1801-1866) and George Morton (1803-c.1850s. In 1851, George was living at 39 Cheapside, with his wife Ann and family, and described himself as a master cutler. George’s partnership with his brother Joseph ended in 1852, but Morton’s continued to trade at Cheapside under George’s son – also named George. George Sen. had another son, named William (his youngest), who by the 1870s was working in Sheffield. In 1874, William Morton acquired the scales trade mark of Anthony Rotheram and became his ‘successor’. In 1876, a directory listed him at Old Rockingham Works, 175 Rockingham Street, as a maker of table, pen, pocket, and sport’s knives, and razors and scissors. His sons, George (1875-1943) and William (1875-1932), took over the Rockingham Street business. In 1918, the firm acquired Richardson, Adie & Co – an Edinburgh retailer of cutlery, jewellery, clocks, and firearms – which Morton’s operated until 1933. William Morton died on 20 March 1932. The company continued to trade until the end of the 1960s. Before his death in 2006 David Hayden-Wright was a renowned collector of English knives and edged weapons, his many years of experience led him to write his famous collector's bible 'The Heritage of English Knives' which contains 100's of quality descriptions and illustrations of knives and edged weapons. This is a superb Victorian ‘Explorer’ Bowie by Morton. This knife is from the renowned collector & author David Hayden-Wright’s preeminent collection of antique knives and features in his book. This knife is illustrated and described on page 277 of Hayden-Wright’s book ‘The Heritage Of English Knives’ (the illustration of this Bowie from his book is reproduced in image 1). The Bowie has an 8” single edged burnished steel blade with a clipped back point blade & long fullers on each face. One fuller is engraved ‘Explorer’. It has a rectangular ricasso struck with the maker’s details ‘Morton 39 Cheapside’ (the author states that although marked Cheapside (London), having obtained similar knives from different sources, he believes this knife to be late Victorian Sheffield work and marked for subsequent retail suppliers). The blade is clean with just some light stain spots consistent with careful storage. It has undamaged, solid, chequered ebonised pistol grip & German Silver guard with short re-curving quillons, integral ferrule and pierced German Silver ball pommel fitted with lanyard ring. One quillon is slotted to accommodate the scabbard’s retaining clip. The knife measures 13 ½” overall and is complete with its original leather open top scabbard. The scabbard has small belt loop and a sprung German Silver retaining latch type bar which fastens correctly to the slot on the guard and retains the Bowie securely in the scabbard (the author describes this latch as being distinctive to this type of Bowie). All leather & stitching of the scabbard are clean and intact. The price for this quality well documented piece includes UK delivery. Sn 20817
£1,495.00

Un-Issued 2000 Dated British WD Ralph Martindale Military Jungle Knife / Machete & 2006 Dated WD DPM Camouflage Scabbard. ED 2183 - ED 2183
An original n-issued Ralph Martindale military machete who made these machetes for the British War Department (see page 113 of 'British and Commonwealth Military Knives' book by Flook). The machete has a heavy steel bolo / parang shaped blade which is 12” long and 3 ¼” broad at its widest point. The grips are wood secured by 3 brass rivets. The handle is holed for wrist cord. One side of the blade is stamped with manufacturers name & Crocodile trade mark together with WD arrow, stores code and 2000 date. The blade also has most of its original manufacturer’s label (illustrated in the images). The blade has just light storage staining. The cutting edge is sharp with no signs of use. The machete measures 18 ¼” overall length. This example is complete with its original WD DPM (Disruptive Pattern Material) Camouflaged scabbard in very good condition which has a large belt loop with additional wire belt loop & single retaining strap with stud fastener ( the centre of the retaining strap has been repaired at some point in its life). The rear of the scabbard has its original WD label dated 2006 and with stores codes. All material and stitching are clean and intact. The price includes UK delivery. ED 2183 (hunting & survival box)
£295.00

**QUALITY**Victorian Bowie Knife With ‘Drop Down’ Extendable Blade, Stag Antler Scales, Brass Bolsters, Blade Release Lever & Open Top Leather Bucket Scabbard. Sn 17730 - 17730
This is an excellent Victorian Bowie Knife with drop down, extendable blade. It is 10 ¾” overall length when the blade is locked in its short blade ( 5 ¾” length cutting edge) position. When the brass locking lever on the spine of the hilt is operated the blade drops down or can be pulled out and extends to 8 ¼” length cutting edge (13 ¾” overall). The blade is undamaged and has just light staining consistent with age. The spine of the blade has a small hole in the mid section which allows the blade to be locked into its short position by lifting the release lever & pushing the blade back into the hilt. The release lever is numbered ‘13’ but there are no other maker or date marks on this quality made extendable Bowie. It has attractive Stag antler scales which are in great condition secured by steel pins & brass bolsters. The knife is complete with original open top brown leather bucket scabbard. The scabbard has no belt loop and has a small 1.5 cm cut on one side of the throat consistent with it being cut by the blade when being removed from the scabbard at some point in its life. The price includes UK Delivery. Sn 17730
£475.00

SOLD SOLD (05/03) **QUALITY**Victorian Era, Brookes & Crookes Sheffield faux Ivory (Ivorine) Scales Hilt ‘Hunter’s Companion’ Spear Point Bowie Knife With ‘Jones’ Marked Blade & Scabbard. Sn 20780 - 20780
In 1859 the Sheffield cutlers John Brookes & Thomas Crookes appear in Melville & Co’s Commercial directory of Sheffield as manufacturer’s of knives and dressing case instruments. The Company had a warehouse, workshops, engine house & grinding wheel behind a house on St Philip’s Road on the outskirts of the cutlery making district of Sheffield. The workshop / factory was named the Atlantic works and was previously the address of knife maker Thomas Wigfall. The Company took advantage of the booming American market making Bowies for the British & American markets & were renowned for the excellent quality of their knives (see pages 161-163 of The Sheffield Knife Book by Tweedale). This is a quality made Victorian Bowie Knife Brookes & Crookes. It measures 11 ¼” overall with a 6 ¾” spear point bowie blade which is sharp. The blade has areas of staining consistent with age. The ricasso is stamped on one side by the maker ‘Brookes & Crookes Makers Sheffield’ together with their ‘bell’ trademark. The reverse is stamped ‘Jones’ possibly a retailer or name of the original owner of this knife. The blade is marked ‘Hunter’s Companion’. The clean undamaged finely chequered faux ivorine grip scales are secured by German Silver pins . The Bowie has a steel finger guard. The dagger is complete with original leather open top scabbard with integral belt loop. The scabbard has a German Silver chape and throat mount. All leather and stitching of the scabbard are clean & intact. The price for this quality made Victorian Bowie includes UK delivery. Sn 20780 (Antique Ivory Content Comprises Less Than 10% Volume & Weight)
£0.00

ROBBINS Brand New Hardback Book ‘The History and Knives of Robbins & Company’ by Ron Flook & John Pidgeon. ED 2172. - ED 2172
Introduction-What may be considered the first edition of this book was printed in 2019 as a limited run of 300 copies and was based on a 2010 knife world magazine article. The book quickly sold out and since then we have pressed to do a reprint, and the plan was to update it with more history of the firm that had become available from online records. This expanded research uncovered much more than just a family history story when we discovered new details of Robbins knives during WWI. The original book was short on the background to the demise of the firm, but this aspect has now been clarified. Our ‘new book’ thus updates the story of Robbins and the knives they produced to a much greater degree than previously. Hardback, 104 colour and black & white illustrated pages. Signed on the first page by the authors Ron Flook & John Pidgeon with history and descriptions. The price for this book includes UK delivery. ED 2172.
£95.00

Victorian Joseph Rodgers & Sons 6 Norfolk Street, Sheffield ‘Hunting Knife’ Bowie With Polished Horn Scales, German Silver Fittings & Scabbard. ED 2171 - ED 2171
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 page 236 of Joseph Rodgers & Sons By Domenech). This is an unusual Victorian era Bowie made at Rodgers & Sons 6 Norfolk Street premises. The 12¼” long, Bowie 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 German silver finger guard consisting of 2 German silver plates secured to the tang by a single German silver pin allowing movement of the cross guard as normally found on folding Bowies, not fixed blade Bowies such as ours. It has a 7 ¼” single edged, steel leaf shaped blade. 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 Tutonic type cross trade marks. The blade has age related staining and patination and a few minor nicks to the cutting edge. Its original brown leather scabbard has an integral belt loop with retaining strap and stud fastener. All leather & stitching of the scabbard are intact. The price for this Victorian Bowie by one of the famous Sheffield cutlers includes UK delivery. ED 2171
£295.00

**MINT**LARGE & SUBSTANTIAL** Victorian British Officer’s Private Purchase North West Frontier Kard Fighting Knife With Tropical Hardwood Scales & Leather Covered Wood Scabbard With Retaining Strap. Sn 20771 - 20771
A Kard (Persian: knife) is considered a type of knife found in the Persianate societies like Persia, Turkey, Armenia and all the way to India. Mostly used in the 18th century and before, they typically have a straight single edged blade and are long knives with no guard and usually the handle was bone, ivory, horn or tropical hardwood. It was mostly a stabbing weapon, and commonly the point would be reinforced to penetrate chain mail. A major characteristic of a kard is that the hilt is only partially covered by the scabbard. Campaign fighting knives were popular private purchase fighting / hunting knives for British Officer’s fighting against Afghan tribes on the North West Frontier. This is an original period Kard quality made during campaign in India no doubt commissioned by a British officer. Our Kard is a substantial weapon in near mint condition. It has finely chequered undamaged, original chequered tropical hardwood scales secured by steel pins. It has steel hilt bolsters tapered to provide a small finger guard and typically is without cross guard. The pommel has a lug, winged by the grip scales. The lug fastens to a retaining strap with eyelet on the scabbard and keeps the knife securely in the scabbard. The heavy 10 ¾” single edged steel blade is clean and sharp and tapers to a sharp point. The heavy blade is 8mm thick at the hilt, gradually tapering to 1mm thick at the tip. The blade is 1 ½” broad at the hilt and tapers to 1mm width at the tip. The Kard is a large 16 ¼” overall length. There are no maker marks on the Kard. The knife is complete with original brown leather covered wood open top scabbard. The throat has a small leather belt hanger loop and has the aforementioned leather retaining strap with eyelet which fastens correctly to the Kard’s pommel lug. The scabbard has a small copper chape. The price for this impressive Kard includes UK delivery. Sn 20771 (In Bowies Box)
£375.00

WW2 1944 British Army In India WD Gurkha Kukri, 2 Skinners & Leather Covered Wood Scabbard With Khaki Canvas Field Combat Cover & Leather Laced Webbing Frog. Sn 20672:2 - 20672:2
This is an original WW2 dated British WD Gurkha Military Kukri. It has a 12 ½” single edged Kukri blade with fullers & blood notch. The blade has just light staining to be expected with age and service use. The blade is marked with WD arrow and 1944 date together with ‘Genuine’. It measures 16 ½” overall. The tropical hard wood grip has grooved bands in the midsection and 2 nickel plated brass bands (nickel finish rubbed with age and service use) & is secured by 2 rivets. It has a brass pommel cap with traces of original nickel plate finish. It comes with original leather covered wood scabbard fitted with khaki field combat cover & webbing frog which is secured to the scabbard by leather laces. The scabbard has 2 pockets for the skinners at the throat. The skinner’s blades are typically curved. Both skinners have wood handles with brass pommel caps. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 20672:2 (fighting knives box)
£575.00

Georgian Era 'Military Outfitter’s Sample' Miniature British 1796 Pattern Light Cavalry Officer’s Sword & Scabbard. Sn 18123:1. - 18123:1
The Pattern 1796 Light Cavalry Sabre was used primarily by British Light Dragoons and Hussars during the Napoleonic Wars (see page 77 of World Swords by Withers). The blade is remembered today as one of the best of its time and has been described as the finest cutting sword ever manufactured in quantity. Officers of the famous 95th Rifles, Light Infantry Regiments and the "flank" Companies of Line Regiments adopted these Swords. This piece is most likely a sample piece made provided by sword manufacturer’s to Military Outfitters in the Georgian era to advertise their full size weapons. It is in as found & un-messed with condition. The sword measures just 22” overall and the fullered curved 18 ¾” sabre blade is etched on both sides with foliate panels. There are no visible date or manufacturer marks. The brass guard with knuckle bow and langets is typical 1796 pattern. The original leather and wire gilt binding of the wood grip is tired and worn. Some sections of wire binding are absent. Its original steel scabbard has some minor dents but no cracks or splits. The scabbard has 2 brass hanging ring mounts with 2 brass or German Silver hanging rings attached. The price for this unusual piece worthy of further research includes UK delivery. Sn 18123:1.
£345.00
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