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Details
AN ENGLISH CLIP-POINT BOWIE ALMOST CERTAINLY BY JOHN MIDDLETON, SHEFFIELD, CIRCA 1840S
The broad heavy clip-point blade, marked at ricasso with maker's mark (very faint), false edge, Spanish notch, recurved German-silver cross guard, German-silver hilt, personalised overall during period of use with an Arrow and Heart motif, the date 1862, and the owner's name Dedham, two checkered horn grip scales retained with four German-silver pins, and set with two German-silver escutcheon plates, one bearing inscribed initials
11 1/8 inch (28.2 cm.) blade
16 inches (40.6 cms.) overall
Blade with dark patina and much pitting, right grip scale with chip to lower front near ferulle, left grip scale with two large losses, a section filled with pewter or lead.
A bowie by John Middleton, Sheffield with precisely the same hilt is pictured in The Antique Bowie Knife Book by Bill Adams, pages 286-7.
According to Texas Collector: Gaines de Graffenried by Conger, pages 29-31, this knife was found at the site of the Battle of San Jacinto by a man from a town near Austin. Acquired by Clyde O'Neal from the gentleman's son, it was in turn acquired by Gaines de Graffenried from the O'Neal estate.
The date of manufacture of this bowie and the previous owner's own personalised date of 1862 preclude any connection with this knife and the Battle of San Jacinto (April 21, 1836). This knife is more certainly associated with the Texas Frontier and The Civil War.
The broad heavy clip-point blade, marked at ricasso with maker's mark (very faint), false edge, Spanish notch, recurved German-silver cross guard, German-silver hilt, personalised overall during period of use with an Arrow and Heart motif, the date 1862, and the owner's name Dedham, two checkered horn grip scales retained with four German-silver pins, and set with two German-silver escutcheon plates, one bearing inscribed initials
11 1/8 inch (28.2 cm.) blade
16 inches (40.6 cms.) overall
Blade with dark patina and much pitting, right grip scale with chip to lower front near ferulle, left grip scale with two large losses, a section filled with pewter or lead.
A bowie by John Middleton, Sheffield with precisely the same hilt is pictured in The Antique Bowie Knife Book by Bill Adams, pages 286-7.
According to Texas Collector: Gaines de Graffenried by Conger, pages 29-31, this knife was found at the site of the Battle of San Jacinto by a man from a town near Austin. Acquired by Clyde O'Neal from the gentleman's son, it was in turn acquired by Gaines de Graffenried from the O'Neal estate.
The date of manufacture of this bowie and the previous owner's own personalised date of 1862 preclude any connection with this knife and the Battle of San Jacinto (April 21, 1836). This knife is more certainly associated with the Texas Frontier and The Civil War.
Provenance
Clyde O'Neal
Gaines de Graffenried
Gaines de Graffenried
Literature
Conger, Roger N., Texas Collector: Gaines de Graffenried, Texian Press, Waco, 1987, pages 29-31.