GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
EXCEPTIONAL AND MASSIVE CONFEDERATE D-GUARD BOWIE CAPTURED ON THE PEA RIDGE, ARK. BATTLE FIELD.This massive knife measuring 27-1/4" overall exhibits 22-7/8" clip-point blade which is 2" wide at the ricasso is flat ground and measures .30" thick. The iron guard, like the rest of this knife, was made by a very skilled craftsman exhibiting great skill. Cross-guard being a turned down oval shape terminating in large, flat quillon. Knuckle bow is well formed and terminates under a 4-sided shaped pommel that blade tang is peened into quite professionally. Orig scabbard is made from soldered tin retaining orig belt loop attachment. There is an old tag once attached to this knife which reads "CONFEDERATE STATES FROM PEA RIDGE/BOUGHT MARCH 1914 F.E.ELLIS, WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI $3.25". This knife was orig in an institutional collection and still has accession numbers inked onto both scabbard and blade of unknown source. Sword was later in the long time collection and museum at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania owned by the preeminent collector Fred Edmunds. This is among the finest made Confederate knives and it has retained great orig completeness and condition. You will never find another massive, finely crafted example like this again with such provenance and collection history. SIZE: PROVENANCE: F. E. Ellis, 1914, Rodgers Collection, Collection of Fred Edmunds 1992, Collection of John Ashworth, 1999. CONDITION: Very good to fine overall. Blade retains much of its orig tool marks with some old sharpening and a casting flaw forming a 3/8" gap in cutting edge. Blade is grey overall with staining and very light pitting. D-Guard has smooth iron patina. Scabbard is sound, solid with grey patina. Wood grip has hand worn patina with several small dents, dings and scratches and a few hairline cracks. 49350-2 JS (8,000-12,000)