Wostenholm is a name intimately associated with knives of the American Bowie Knife era. They registered the “I*XL” trademark (obviously a play on “I Excel”) in 1831 and moved aggressively into the American market, making sales trips and establishing offices in the U.S. By 1848 business was so good that they needed a larger factory and it was a tribute to the strength of their American clientele that they named it the Washington Works.

This is an excellent example of their work, a stag-gripped classic Bowie with German silver guard and pommel that mounts a nine-inch blade with a very prominent clip point covering about seven of the nine inches of the blade. The blade has a mirror finish with only the slightest gray spots. The scroll motto, “The Real I*XL Knife” on the upper reverse of the blade is rubbed on the lower half, but the “G. Wostenholm / Washington Works” stamping (with no intrusion of the word “Sheffield”) is crisp. The large “I*XL” stamp on the reverse ricasso is sharp as well, and can be read across the room.

This is not only a beautiful knife, but a working one as well. The original pasteboard scabbard is mounted inside a very well made, robust, brown leather belt scabbard that is stitched fully along both edges and the tip and is made with a large belt loop that is secured not only by stitching, but by a copper rivet such as we often see on Civil War era leather gear. There is no doubt this was meant for wear in the field.

The grip slabs are excellent, with no chips or cracks. The German silver mounts have a good color and no bends, breaks, or cracks. This is Bowie knife of classic form, dating c.1850-1860, in excellent condition. Classic knives like this don’t come along this nice very often.  [SR]

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