Wade & Butcher Bowie Knife

[ElleMcC]

Hi Everyone,

I found a Wade & Butcher Bowie Knife here in Kalgoorlie W.A and was wondering if anyone has information on the knife and are you please able to figure out it's date?

The inscription on the blade above the handle:
Wade & Butcher
Sheffield England

The inscription on the blade side ways:
A Circle with a B in it. An Arrow pointing towards a cross

The inscription on the blade side ways below the cross and allow:
Really hard to see - maybe says ... Ann and then Eld

Thanks

 

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[pepperj]

https://historical.ha.com/itm/western-expansion/cowboy/an-arkansas-toothpick-bowie-knife-by-butcher-company-of-sheffield-england-with-a-mint-edged-blade-ca-1840-english-cutl/a/680-74024.s

 

[Digger RJ]

Hi Everyone,

I found a Wade & Butcher Bowie Knife here in Kalgoorlie W.A and was wondering if anyone has information on the knife and are you please able to figure out it's date?

The inscription on the blade above the handle:
Wade & Butcher
Sheffield England

The inscription on the blade side ways:
A Circle with a B in it. An Arrow pointing towards a cross

The inscription on the blade side ways below the cross and allow:
Really hard to see - maybe says ... Ann and then Eld

Thanks







View attachment 2057043 View attachment 2057044 View attachment 2057045 View attachment 2057046 View attachment 2057043

Very Cool!!! Congrats!!!

 

[BAW]

Hi Everyone,

I found a Wade & Butcher Bowie Knife here in Kalgoorlie W.A and was wondering if anyone has information on the knife and are you please able to figure out it's date?

The inscription on the blade above the handle:
Wade & Butcher
Sheffield England

The inscription on the blade side ways:
A Circle with a B in it. An Arrow pointing towards a cross

The inscription on the blade side ways below the cross and allow:
Really hard to see - maybe says ... Ann and then Eld

Thanks

Wade & butcher knives made before 1891 were marked "Sheffield" but not "England". In 1891 the McKinley Tarrif Bill required all goods imported into the U.S. ,which was their main market, to be marked with the country of origin, so "England" was added. If you look at pictures of 19th century Bowie knives with slab grips, as yours once had, you will see that the grips were usually held on with 6 rivets. The use of 3 rivets as on yours generally means a date of 1900 - 1940.

 

[DigToChina]

Not sure it isn’t pareidolia but I might see …N & Co

 

[oldmxrat]

Super cool find, congrats!

 

[callmez]

About 1891, Wade and Butcher changed their markings to comply with the country of origin required by the USA's McKinley Tariff. Before that, it wouldn't have said "England" as everyone knew where Sheffield was.

This style is what is commonly called a "bowie hunter", in other terms a hunting knife inspired by the style of older bowie knives. The handles of these were most often jigged bone, sometimes stag (deer antler), and much less often other materials like smooth bone, pearl, and horn.

 

[nagant]

Wade & Butcher Sheffield Bowie Knife & Sheath,

with 5.8" single-edged clipped end steel blade stamped on left ricasso Wade & Butcher Sheffield, England and with stamped B in a circle, arrow with fletching and Maltese cross, also on left face of blade, slight choil, ovoid nickel guard with 2-piece antle...

www.cowanauctions.com

 

[callmez]

Wade & Butcher Sheffield Bowie Knife & Sheath,

with 5.8" single-edged clipped end steel blade stamped on left ricasso Wade & Butcher Sheffield, England and with stamped B in a circle, arrow with fletching and Maltese cross, also on left face of blade, slight choil, ovoid nickel guard with 2-piece antle...

www.cowanauctions.com

Same as ElleMcC's knife, yes -- but a rather poor description. Those handles are actually jigged bone, not stag ("antler") and the sheath is probably original though restitched. The lack of an estimated date may have been intentional.