Skip to main content

This auction has ended. View lot details

You may also be interested in

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

Lot 78

A Fine Bowie Knife
By G. Wostenholm & Son, Washington Works, Mid-19th Century

30 November 2016, 11:00 GMT
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £3,500 inc. premium

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

How to sell

Looking for a similar item?

Our Arms and Armour specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.

Find your local specialist

A Fine Bowie Knife
By G. Wostenholm & Son, Washington Works, Mid-19th Century

With bright highly burnished single-edged blade (some scattered rust patination) clipped-back and with false double-edge to the point (extreme tip with some pitting), the upper edge on one side stamped 'I*XL' between the maker's details and 'The Hunters Companion', the latter below 'Ideal I*XL Knife' on a scroll, all above 'Geo Wostenholm & Sons Celebrated California Knife', a foliate design towards the point beyond, ricasso stamped on one side with General Zachary on horseback, white-metal hilt comprising flat ovoidal guard, grip waisted beneath the domed pommel, and mother-of-pearl grips secured by four white-metal pins, the left grip with slender vacant white-metal plaque, in original hardened black leather scabbard tooled along each side with five scrolls within double line borders
25.3 cm. blade

Footnotes

George Wostenholm, together with Joseph Rodger, is arguably the most famous name in the production of English cutlery. The third George Wostenholm (1800-1876), an ambitious industrialist and determined salesman, took over responsibility for the company in 1833. He undertook numerous sales trips to America in order to satisfy the demand for superior cutlery including his I*XL knives, the knife of choice for Americans. In 1848 the fabled Washington Works factory was opened which at its height employed over 800 workers, and for the Great Exhibition of 1851 Wostenholm displayed three exquisite hunting knives designed by Alfred Stevens (in the Victoria & Albert Museum, see A.R.E. North, 'English Hunting Swords', V&A Album No. 3, 1984, pp. 34-35, figs. 12a, b and c). See Harold Bexfield, A short history of Sheffield cutlery and the House of Wostenholm, 1945

Additional information

Bid now on these items

A Cased Pair Of Scottish 50-Bore Percussion Duelling Or Target Pistols By Alex.r Martin, Glasgow, Mid-19th Century

The medals and associate ephemera and uniforms of Arthur Watts, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons

A Pair Of Highland All-Metal Percussion Belt Pistols Signed Paton & Walsh Perth, Mid 19th century

A Silver-Mounted Left-Hand Dagger, probably German, Italian or English Late 16th Century Or Later

FOUR REPRODUCTION CARVED POWDER HORNS/FLASKS.late 20th century.

A COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE AND REPRODUCTION POWDER FLASKS AND RELATED SPORTING ITEMS.

THREE VICTORIAN ARMS AND ARMOUR DECORATIVE ITEMS.