December 13-15, 2022 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/14/2022
Circa 1860s. 10 - 3/16” spear point blade bowie marked on the blade's face "G. WOSTENHOLM & SON, WASHINGTON WORKS, SHEFFIELD" with the ricasso marked "I*XL". 1-piece stag handle with inset steel mount for attachment to bayonet lug of an unknown rifle. Nickel silver guard and pommel cap. 14 - 7/8” overall. Morocco leather sheath with nickel silver tip and throat. CONDITION: Blade with scattered spotting and a few signs of sharpening along both sides. The sheath is missing the frog stud and exhibits extensive scuffing. This is the only example of a Wostenholm bowie-bayonet that we are aware of. An article about it, “The Experimental I*XL Bowie Bayonet (A Proven Fact!)” by Rick Mack was published in the August, 1979 edition of Gun Report, and includes a statement from W.R. Williamson as to its authenticity and that he first saw it at the Wostenholm factory in 1971. It is also illustrated in "The Antique Bowie Knife Book" by Adams, Voyles, and Moss on pg. 263 and in “The Classic Bowie Knife” by Steve Miller, November 1972 Gun Report. Ex. Steve Miller, Rick Mack collections. Formerly part of the Tommie Jones collection.
Paperwork
Letters of Provenance.