British, c1971, 1.XL. Bowie Knife & Scabbard, by James & Lowe Sheffield

*British, c1971, 1.XL. Bowie Knife & Scabbard, by James & Lowe Sheffield*

Approx measurements: 24.5cm blade, 34.4cm overall

James & Lowe Sheffield Bowie knife. Carbon steel blade stamped "James & Lowe Sheffield" on the ricasso and with Winged eagle image on the blade. Coffin handle with stag grip scales secured by four pins, a silver escutcheon plate on left side and a 8.5cm silver cross guard. Includes an I-XL marked leather sheath with silver fittings.

Before his death in 1986, Fred James stood as one of Sheffield's most renowned Bowie Knife craftsmen. Having worked under George Wostenholm, the esteemed knife maker from Sheffield, England, James was involved in crafting many of the original Bowie Knives exported to the United States during the mid-19th century. Following Wostenholm's closure, James seemingly appropriated numerous 19th-century patterns, dies, and stamps from his former employer, initiating his venture into Bowie Knife production in the early 1970s. Unmarked specimens of his craftsmanship circulated among "antique" arms dealers in the U.K., particularly in London, where they often misled early U.S. knife collectors into believing they were acquiring authentic 1850s-era Bowie Knives. Collaborating with his wife Ivy and, for a time, Sandy Lowe, James manufactured and assembled knives bearing the correct markings of "Fred James" or "James & Lowe." Today, Bowies imprinted with either of these marks hold significant value among collectors and maintain a robust market presence in the realm of knife collecting.

*Condition*
This iconic Bowie knife is in excellent used condition, as is the scabbard. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.

JAQBOOXCBE _3149150805