Picked this early Bowie knife up at an estate today: I knew zero at the time as the maker's name does not bring up too may Google hits (and I was in semi-remote mountain community where weak cell service made the internet very slow on my fun. But even though the grips are missing the price was right so I figured it was worth a gamble. I have yet to find any references to replicas being sold, but of course one never knows.

 

It was apparently made by Broomhead & Thomas in Sheffield, England in the early 1830's (one source said B&T went out of business in 1834). Jim Bowie himself owned at least one Broomhead and Thomas knife, which is said to have given to one Augustine Barrera of San Antonio in 1835 in exchange for some work on a saddle.

 

Just from what I read it looks like the English knife makers were a big source of Bowie knives for Americans in the early part of the 19th century at least and a lot them went to war in the Civil War.

 

I don't know where this knife has been for the 180 years I assume it's been around. I found in a collection of 19th and early 20th century blades.

 

 

 

 

The absence of grips does give a good view of the frame construction of the grips. The grips might have ivory.

 

 

 

Some made a simple sheath to protect the blade:

 

To give an idea of the English influence on this American icon, an article by the Texas State Historical Association says:

 

"A trickle of Sheffield Bowie knives in the early 1830s developed into a flood before the Civil War. Bowie knife collections indicate that only about one in ten was American made."

Interesting blade. The notch reminds me of the cho on a kukrie. From my collection:

 

Interesting blade. The notch reminds me of the cho on a kukrie. From my collection:

 

I've got a kukrie too and had thought the same thing.

 

I found out that on Bowies these are called a Spanish choil or Spanish notch.

What purpose do the notches serve on other knives?

 

Nice score...

What purpose do the notches serve on other knives?

 

Nice score...

 

- Choil

 

The choil is an unsharpened section of the blade. If a guard is present, the choil will be in front of the guard on the blade itself. The choil is often used as a way to choke up on the blade for close-in work. The index finger is placed in the choil, and this close proximity to the edge allows for greater control. In addition, the choil is just in front of where the blade itself becomes part of the handle, an area often prone to breakage due to the blade-handle juncture. The choil leaves this area at full thickness and thus stronger.

A little information on your knife.A very similiar Broomhead and Thomas bowie is pictured in Hayden-Wright's book The Heritage of English Knives,the fittings and hilt are virtually identical to yours.The one illustrated has pearl grips with a shield in the middle.It has a solid formed,engraved,nickle silver sheath.The Broomhead and Thomas marking date it circa 1841 to about 1852 when Geo.Broomhead is again listed without Thomas.

A little information on your knife.A very similiar Broomhead and Thomas bowie is pictured in Hayden-Wright's book The Heritage of English Knives,the fittings and hilt are virtually identical to yours.The one illustrated has pearl grips with a shield in the middle.It has a solid formed,engraved,nickle silver sheath.The Broomhead and Thomas marking date it circa 1841 to about 1852 when Geo.Broomhead is again listed without Thomas.

 

Well I ran it up the flagpole on bladeforums.coms and got this news from Bernard Levine:

 

"Look at the MARK.

 

Look at the SOLID, PLATED mounts.

 

Not real.

 

BRL..."

 

Oh well, it didn't cost much at all.

Well I ran it up the flagpole on bladeforums.coms and got this news from Bernard Levine:

 

"Look at the MARK.

 

Look at the SOLID, PLATED mounts.

 

Not real.

 

BRL..."

 

Oh well, it didn't cost much at all.

 

LOL That's one reason I never collected that type of knife.I've seen some very well done fakes and the devil is in the details.Plus mistakes can be costly.

Well I ran it up the flagpole on bladeforums.coms and got this news from Bernard Levine:

 

"Look at the MARK.

 

Look at the SOLID, PLATED mounts.

 

Not real.

 

BRL..."

 

Short, to the point and non-sugar coated. That's Mr. Levine!

LOL That's one reason I never collected that type of knife.I've seen some very well done fakes and the devil is in the details.Plus mistakes can be costly.

 

Well this one cost less than $30 and I got quite an education for my money.

Its a nice looking knife...heck I would give $30 for it too.

Its a nice looking knife...heck I would give $30 for it too.

 

I always figure that some things are worth a roll of the dice even if all you get is a learning experience. Two years ago I was with some fellow pickers at a thrift store that brings out a tray of jewelry and trinkets every afternoon (it sometimes includes military insignia). There were four colorful plastic bracelets and someone said, "Oh, Bakelite!" but another picker, who deals in nothing but jewelery said, "That's Fakelite!"and everyone else accepted his word and paid no more attention to them. The bracelets were $20 each and I said, "Well, for $20 I'll take one home and try to learn for myself the difference between Bakelite and Fakealite."

 

Turned out the piece was real and the next morning I rushed to be first in line when the store opened, bought the other three and sold them for over $4.,000!

 

Well, the Bowie knife did not exactly pay off like that, but I learned some new things about Bowies that will pay off in the future when I encounter another Bowie. For instance I had no idea the important roll Sheffield played in the American Bowie's history.

I have nothing but respect for Mr. Levine. He has forgotten far more about knives than I will ever know. I know nothing about this style of knife and cannot give any sort of opinion on it.

 

BUT

 

3 years ago I sent photos etc of a McElroy confederate knife. He said that it was a copy from the 1960s and that it had little value. I have been handling knives and bayonets for over 50 years and the knife just did not feel like something that new. Patina and other markers to me made me feel it was original.

 

I took it to a major Civil War show, and showed it to several dealers who specialized in Confederate items and told them I would entertain sealed offers. I walked out with $3500 and the knife was later sold by the dealer for over $5000.

 

I might suggest getting a second opinion before I toss it in the drawer.

I have nothing but respect for Mr. Levine. He has forgotten far more about knives than I will ever know. I know nothing about this style of knife and cannot give any sort of opinion on it.

 

BUT

 

3 years ago I sent photos etc of a McElroy confederate knife. He said that it was a copy from the 1960s and that it had little value. I have been handling knives and bayonets for over 50 years and the knife just did not feel like something that new. Patina and other markers to me made me feel it was original.

 

I took it to a major Civil War show, and showed it to several dealers who specialized in Confederate items and told them I would entertain sealed offers. I walked out with $3500 and the knife was later sold by the dealer for over $5000.

 

I might suggest getting a second opinion before I toss it in the drawer.

 

I had thought about that: after all my Bakelite expert was wrong to the tune of $4,000.

 

On this one the giveaway apparently is the plated silver metal. The real thing would have been made with nickel silver, which has no silver, but it basically a white brass. On the this one you can see the yellow brass showing through the plating. He also did not like stamp. I have to say that I have no idea how a 180 stamp should look. In this photo you can also see the yellow brass beneath the plating:

 

 

And on this one you can see the brass where some of the plating has away:

 

 

I do have to say that in extensive searches including using some pay services, I could not find a single sale for a Broomhead and Thomas except for a crown head that sold at a British auction a few years ago. There is also apparently a crownhead on page 363 of the The Antique Bowie Knife Book. Not being able to find any referernces to fake Broomheads makes me think this was a one-off replica.

 

Here's the one from British auction - I enlarged a very small photo:

 

 

I have put this one on ebay as a replica so i hope I don't find it later being resold for $5,000 (which I think would be possible with a real Broomhead and Thomas even without grips, considering the age and company association with Jim Bowie).