June 12-13, 2019 Edged Weapon, Armor, & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/12/2019
Rare bowie by early New Jersey maker Alfred Hunter of Newark, the clip point blade is stamped ALFRED HUNTER'S SUPERIOR CUTLERY and features a "Spanish notch" on its cutting edge. The one piece ivory handle is carved on both sides, with a nickel silver escutcheon on the obverse, and a nickel silver ferrule. Leather sheath is an old replacement. c. 1830s-1840s. While Hunter seems to have not left us with much historical evidence of his bowie knife production, we do know that he was producing bowies as early as 1836 and that, for a time, he produced a fair number of fine quality knives with stout blades. CONDITION: The handle has a large crack, as is characteristic of Alfred Hunter's ivory handles, and runs along one corner where it is not especially obvious. The guard has been reshaped to an oval configuration. The blade has been narrowed somewhat, and cleaned by a previous owner. Scattered traces of pitting are still visible here and there.