Presented here is a fine, original, bowie-style hunting knife made by the G. (George) Wostenholm & Son cutlery firm of Sheffield, England circa 1850 – 1860s. Wostenhohn started his firm in 1847 at the Rockingham Works on Rockingham Street in Sheffield and later relocated to Washington Works in the city where he greatly expanded his business to produce all kinds of knives, table cutlery, scissors and razors. His firm’s main business was foreign trade, especially to the United States, but with markets in Canada, Australia and the West Indies.

This handsome, hefty bowie knife comes with its original leather scabbard. Knife measures 12¼” long, point to pommel and features a single-edged, forged steel blade. Upper portion of blade’s reverse side is stamped with “WESTENHOM & SON / WASHINGTON WORKS / SHEFFIELD” in block letters. Marked on the blade’s reverse ricasso is the corporate marks of “I*XL” granted by the Sheffield Cutlery guild in 1787. Blade, which is 7¾” long and 1 1/8” wide at the ricasso, tapers to a fine 3½” long clip point. Steel blade exhibits minor light surface rust pitting with some scattered pockmarks and oxidation overall. Sharp blade also shows a few light edge nicks. A plain, German-silver cross guard off-sets a very fine, two-panel stag handle that is tightly riveted to the tang with four small pins. Panels free of cracking or chipping. Reverse panel has a German silver escutcheon inlay that appears to have had a name scratched on it. Cannot make it out.

Original scabbard is worn but black leather is very good with no crazing or cracking. Light dented German silver tip has broken completely broken off completely from the scabbard throat. German silver collar, tight to the body, is missing its 1” long belt clasp hook. Gold tooled scabbard with tooled border motifs on both sides with one side stamped in block letters “I*XL.” A fine Civil War era Sheffield Bowie knife.

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