December 14-17, 2021 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/14/2021
Circa late 19th century Joseph Allen & Sons Bowie style hunting knife. The blade measures approximately 6 - 5/8" with an overall length of approximately 11 - 1/8". The knife is marked "JOSPEH / ALLEN & SONS / SHEFFIELD / ENGLAND" on the ricasso and "NON.XLL" on the blade. Joseph Allen & Sons started making knives in 1810 in Sheffield England and used the "NON. XLL" trademark after 1838. The initials N.T.M. are lightly scratched into the reverse blade. The knife features stag grips that are secured to the handle by 3 nails on each side. The initials "N.T.M." are carved on the right grip and "AEO" on the left grip. The documents that accompany this knife are scans of Civil War pension and post-War retirement documents pertaining to the the service of Nicholas T. McLaughlin. He enlisted during the war and mustered in on September 21, 1861 as a private in the 1st New York Volunteer Light Artillery. The unit was a volunteer artillery unit that was composed of four artillery companies. Throughout the early years of the war, they saw action in the Eastern Theater before it was reorganized into four independent batteries. The unit left New York for Washington, D.C., October 20, 1861 and were assigned to the defenses of the Capital until March 1862. They were then transferred to the Artillery Reserve of the Army of the Potomac, fought in the Peninsula Campaign, the Siege of Yorktown, and the Seven Days Battles. The unit retreated across the Virginia Peninsula and fought with the Army of the Potomac during the Maryland Campaign, the Battle of Antietam, and the "Mud March" of January 1863. McLaughlin was discharged on September 20, 1864 at Petersburg, Virginia and returned to New York after the war where he died on December 28, 1893. CONDITION: The blade remains bright but exhibits evidence of cleaning and polishing as well as sharpening. There is scattered light pitting and blemishes along with scratches throughout the length of the blade. The grips exhibit handling wear but are firmly secured to the knife. Overall good. JLD