Lot 243

Harrison Bros & Howson Sheffield Bowie Knife c1891

Estimate: $750 - $1,250

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000
This is an original Harrison Brothers & Howson Sheffield, England, sterling silver and stag handled bowie knife dating to circa 1891. The knife shows a large, thick bowie blade with solid silver ricasso guard having a hidden tang handle with highly figured, sterling silver pommel and front spacer/bolsters and gripping handle of original antique European Stag antler. Both pieces of sterling silver are stamped "HH” (in a rectangular with slightly curved corners) with crown, walking to the left Lion with one palm up, and "Y" without any stylization. The walking crown with walking lion stands for sterling silver from Sheffield, England (being the standard touchmark from 1773-1916) and the common capitalized "Y" dates the piece to 1891 (see the British Hallmarks Guide 925-1000). The "HH" is the standard touchmark for Harrison Brothers & Howson, founded in 1847 by James William Harrison, Henry Harrison, and William Howson as succors of Thomas Sanson & Sons, as per Silver Collection's hallmarks of English Silver. The blade has been acid etched with "MILLER BROS 101 RANCH" and four five-point stars. The Miller Brothers 101 Ranch was a 110,000-acre cattle ranch in the Indian Territory of Oklahoma and was founded by Colonel George Washington Miller, a veteran of the Confederate Army, in 1893. It was the birthplace of the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Wild West Show and later, the home of Bill Pickett's grave and the White Eagle Monument. The knife is paired with the original sheath crafted of nickel silver and leather with a stylized raised button of a hog or horse head. The blade has some surface rust from being left in bare metal form in the leather scabbard. The bowie knife measures overall 17.25" L overall with a blade that is 10.5" L. The guard is 3" W. The knife and sheath together are 18 1/8" L.