MID 19thC. SHEFFIELD EXPORT BOWIE KNIFE TO NORTH AMERICA CUSTOM SHEATH. #9962 For Sale

A mid 19th century Sheffield, hunting sheath knife for export to North America, circa 1840 and would have been used by a pioneer or plainsman, single edged 10cm blade stamped with the makers name and logo, a hanging bugle, M. HUNTER & SON. CUTLERS SHEFFIELD, white metal cross-guard, the wooden hilt carved with cross-hatch work, the top in the form of a hoof, the top and bottom wrapped with leather binding Turks head knot design, contained in the original hand sewn leather sheath, wrapped with 3 Turks head knots each with a Turks head knot tassel, the top leather cut to be attached to a belt, the flap carved with the owners initials M.A.T., the knife 21cm, overall 23cm in the sheath.#9962mao

Michael Hunter is first heard of 1724 and moved to Sheffield in 1760, by 1831 the company was run by Michael III upon the death of his father. He became Master Cutler in 1852 when he employed 130 men rising to 300 by 1861. Between 1849 & 1852 the company was known as Hunter, Son & Gillbee, and this knife was manufactured pre 1849, Michael Hunter III died in 1886 aged 86, his son Michael IV was Master Cutler in 1860 and had been running the company since 1844. Hunters exported to the Americas and Australia and had an agency in Montreal pre 1867 when it was still part of North America and before Canada was foundedon 1st July1867