November 3-4, 2017 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/3/2017
Circa 1830's. Massive 12” long clip point blade, 13/32” at its thickest point and 1-5/8” wide with sharpened false edge and marked on ricasso "ALFRED/HUNTER". One piece carved ivory handle with crest escutcheon on reverse side and ball-end nickel silver crossguard, all in keeping with Hunter’s well known style. The escutcheon is hand engraved in script, “JLL”; and the flat side of the lower forward quillon is consistent with other Hunters, done so the sheath throat will fit snugly against the crossguard. Original leather sheath with nickel silver tip and throat. Blade has a great deal of original polish with very light scattered pitting and fine scratches, lightly cleaned. The handle has a few age cracks which is common to ivory handled Alfred Hunter knives; the cracks on this handle have been filled and are restricted to its top and bottom sides, making this knife one of the best looking ivory handled Hunters in existence. The very end of the sheath tip and the frog stud are replacements. Ex. Bob Berryman, Ken Kosloff collections.
Alfred Hunter first appears in the 1830 New York city directory in 1830, an immigrant from Sheffield and a table knife cutler by trade. He relocated to Newark, New Jersey in 1835 where he continued in business until approximately 1865. Hunter died February 10, 1887. No Alfred Hunter ads highlighting bowie knives have been found, but a July 1836 newspaper article highlights his production of bowies, making Hunter one of the earliest documented bowie knife makers.
Adams, Bill; Bruce Voyles, Terry Moss. The Antique Bowie Knife Book. Museum Publishing Company, 1990. p.58-59. (this knife with correct sheath)
Butterfield’s Berryman/Schreiner sale #4838A (1992), item 3858, pp.44-45 (this knife, illustrated with the wrong sheath)
Pankiewicz, Philip R., New Jersey Cutlery. Published by the author, 2010. p.83 (about Hunter)
Worthen, William B. and Mark D. Zalesky. A Sure Defense: The Bowie Knife in America. Historic Arkansas Museum, 2017, p.49 (Hunter bowies in 1836) This is an award winning knife that has been recognized by The Antique Bowie Knife Association on two separate occasions in the last 25 years.
Condition: (Excellent).
Item Dimensions: 18"L