Need help identifying old bowie knife

[highwingpilot]

This knife has been in my family for many generations, easily pre-dating WW2. I've heard stories that might place it around the the American Civil War. But there are no maker's marks on it that I can see. It is quite heavy. With a solid brass handle that the blade is swaged into.




Any ideas as to what it is, and how old it might be?

Thanks!

[Chopperman]

It looks like a home made handle fitted to a KaBar blade.

[UK Cousin]

It does look homemade but that doesn't mean its not authentic. Almost every knife in the confederate army was homemade.

[AZPhil]

I agree with what Cous is saying. Most of the southern knives were locally/home made blades. Highwingpilot does your family live south of the Mason Dixon line?

Semper Fi
Phil

[CBH]

Better photos in natural light would help, but as Phil stated many Southern Bowies were locally produced and can be pretty rough especially wartime production. It looks to have age to it.

[mauser9]

One of those items we wish could talk. Would be very interesting to know exactly how old and who made it. Sheath also looks to have some serious age.

[Wagriff]

Personally, it looks like one of old Joe Walters House of Swords superbly pre-aged made in India pieces... I doubt very much if it is CSA..

[highwingpilot]

Just spotted this listing on a civil war site. Looks like a near exact match. And fits the location of where some of my family lived back then - Pennsylvania & Ohio. Also have relatives in Maryland and Rochester New York areas. Given our German heritage, it would make sense if this was a Turner's knife.

Civil War Antiques (Dave Taylor's) December 2015 Webcatalog #1

Also looks very similar in its handle & overall shape to this one made by Bown and Tetley:
https://www.cowanauctions.com/lot/am...ie-knife-67211

Either way, it does appear to be from between 1848-1862 time period. And fairly rare. At least in its condition along with the scabbard.

[highwingpilot]

My father who is 88 years old, got it from his aunt when he was a boy, who got it from her uncle. So it's been in the family for a very long time. It's definitely not a modern-day knockoff.

[highwingpilot]

Info on the Turners: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turners