my Bowie knife - The Firearms Forum

pops42 · 02-27-2010, 07:02 PM

i have a silverheaded eagle bowie knife ,and want to know more about it. i know for a fact that it is between 40and 50 years old. the top of it is a silver eaglehead,than it has a red,white, and green stripe on it, the handel i think is bone,it has a moose carved in it the other side is carved like tree bark. then a green,white,and red stripe,then a brass hand gaurd ,then the blade has a moose,bear,and a beaver carved in it ,the otherside has Bowie carved in it.it was mde in Germany,buy the Ideal Shirt Co. it also has Othelio Solingen carved in the blade. can anybody tell me about it. thanks pops42.

pops42 · 02-27-2010, 07:17 PM

hey, does anyone know where i can get a clip for my Dokkendourf 222 pops42

wpage · 02-28-2010, 04:18 PM

Any pics?

stede · 02-28-2010, 04:35 PM

Pops may have been popping the cork a bit... but the 'Othello Solingen' was a commercial trademark of Anton Wingen; they made high quality blades back in the day

pops42 · 02-28-2010, 05:18 PM

hey,that's a start, but that don't say much, i am curious about it from where i ain't never seen another one like it. i have pics of it hopefully they will show up on here since i am still trying to figure out how to use this site. and pops42 don't pop a cork.

ckill1 · 02-28-2010, 06:44 PM

Can you get a pic showing the markings on the ricasso a little clearer? Interesting blade...

chris

pops42 · 03-01-2010, 06:41 AM

dont know but will try.pops42

stede · 03-01-2010, 09:00 PM

No offense meant, Pops, about the popping the cork remark! By all means, let's have a closer view of the ricasso stamps. And the eagle-head pommel appears to have been turned about 180 degrees too much, the beak should face down toward the blade edge. I expect it's threaded to the tang...

pops42 · 03-02-2010, 08:24 AM

naw i didnt take any offense to it. i will try to get some pics of it for yall.

Bill DeShivs · 03-02-2010, 02:56 PM

It was made by (or for) Anton Wingen co. Ideal Shirt was the importer.
The pommel is turned backwards.

pops42 · 03-02-2010, 07:35 PM

hi, i thought the head was the wrong way, and it is a little crocked to ,aint never figuerd,that one out. it has been like that long as i can remember.my dad never would talk about the knife at all,and i never could get him to. i think thats why iam to find out what i can now.thanks yall.

stede · 03-02-2010, 08:23 PM

Pops, if you were to gently turn the eagle head as you would loosen a screw, I'll bet it would line up with the blade- beak down toward the edge. Anton Wingen was in business as a cutler in Solingen, Germany from 1888 until the 1970's. They were an early experimenter with the drop-forging process for making blades... was your dad a WW2 vet, could have brought it back from Germany as a souvenior?

pops42 · 03-03-2010, 10:03 AM

alright,i didnt know that much about it,no my dad was in Korea,but he had been to germany a places like that in europe,so the head might beable to turn around like it should,the top was a brass what looks like a clip over i guess what is the bolt that holds it together, thanks pops

Bill DeShivs · 03-04-2010, 01:59 AM

They didn't make "bowie" marked knives in Germany until well AFTER WW2!
The knife is post-1950 manufacture, and was imported into the US.

pops42 · 03-04-2010, 06:37 AM

ok,at this rate i will know just about everything i want to know about it before long,except where and how much he paid for it. still would like to know for sure if all i got to do is just turn the head back like it should be,from where the whole knife is tight, i would hate to break it. thanks yall

stede · 03-04-2010, 08:55 PM

Your call, Pops- turning the pommel back, that is. I'm 99% sure the eagle-head is screwed onto a threaded tang, and that unscrewing it as you would a bolt will bring it safely back into proper alignment with the blade. But that's easy for me to say, it's not my kniife

.
And as Bill sez, the knife definitely appears to be post-WWII, though I've seen 'BOWIE' and 'BOWIE KNIFE' and such etchings on both German and English blades with known provenance dating before WWI.
I find the Ideal Shirt Company mark very interesting. Did they import knives for commercial re-sale, or is this one of a batch commissioned from Wingen as awards or rewards to employees of the company? Some research is in order, methinks...

stede · 03-04-2010, 09:13 PM

Hmmmm, a quick search shows a number of German-made blades marked Ideal Shirt Co, perhaps they were an importer...
And Bill DeShivs, that DeShivs Custom that fronts your website is without a doubt the prettiest knife I've ever seen. It's just plain a beautiful example of the art, while retaining the essentials of a working knife. Form and function... I am in awe of your skill as a cutler.

Bill DeShivs · 03-05-2010, 01:11 AM

Why, thanky!

Big T · 11-04-2010, 10:27 AM

I have the same exact knife that was left to me from my grandmother and when I saw these pics of pops knife i could not beleive it I will try to get some pics of mine on here. The eagle head can be turned it is threaded because I just checked mine and took it completely apart.

02-27-2010, 07:02 PM	#1
pops42 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: high up on the blue ridge mountains of Va. Posts: 232	my Bowie knife i have a silverheaded eagle bowie knife ,and want to know more about it. i know for a fact that it is between 40and 50 years old. the top of it is a silver eaglehead,than it has a red,white, and green stripe on it, the handel i think is bone,it has a moose carved in it the other side is carved like tree bark. then a green,white,and red stripe,then a brass hand gaurd ,then the blade has a moose,bear,and a beaver carved in it ,the otherside has Bowie carved in it.it was mde in Germany,buy the Ideal Shirt Co. it also has Othelio Solingen carved in the blade. can anybody tell me about it. thanks pops42. -->

02-27-2010, 07:17 PM	#2
pops42 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: high up on the blue ridge mountains of Va. Posts: 232	Re: my Bowie knife hey, does anyone know where i can get a clip for my Dokkendourf 222 pops42

02-28-2010, 04:18 PM	#3
wpage Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 1,471	Re: my Bowie knife Any pics? __________________ "You shall recieve power" Acts 1:8 W

02-28-2010, 04:35 PM	#4
stede V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 94	Re: my Bowie knife Pops may have been popping the cork a bit... but the 'Othello Solingen' was a commercial trademark of Anton Wingen; they made high quality blades back in the day

02-28-2010, 05:18 PM	#5
pops42 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: high up on the blue ridge mountains of Va. Posts: 232	Re: my Bowie knife hey,that's a start, but that don't say much, i am curious about it from where i ain't never seen another one like it. i have pics of it hopefully they will show up on here since i am still trying to figure out how to use this site. and pops42 don't pop a cork. Attached Images

02-28-2010, 06:44 PM	#6
ckill1 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SW Iowa Posts: 299	Re: my Bowie knife Can you get a pic showing the markings on the ricasso a little clearer? Interesting blade... chris __________________ People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

03-01-2010, 06:41 AM	#7
pops42 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: high up on the blue ridge mountains of Va. Posts: 232	Re: my Bowie knife dont know but will try.pops42

03-01-2010, 09:00 PM	#8
stede V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 94	Re: my Bowie knife No offense meant, Pops, about the popping the cork remark! By all means, let's have a closer view of the ricasso stamps. And the eagle-head pommel appears to have been turned about 180 degrees too much, the beak should face down toward the blade edge. I expect it's threaded to the tang...

03-02-2010, 08:24 AM	#9
pops42 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: high up on the blue ridge mountains of Va. Posts: 232	Re: my Bowie knife naw i didnt take any offense to it. i will try to get some pics of it for yall.

03-02-2010, 02:56 PM	#10
Bill DeShivs Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Contributor Posts: 1,478	Re: my Bowie knife It was made by (or for) Anton Wingen co. Ideal Shirt was the importer. The pommel is turned backwards. __________________ Bill DeShivs www.billdeshivs.com

03-02-2010, 07:35 PM	#11
pops42 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: high up on the blue ridge mountains of Va. Posts: 232	Re: my Bowie knife hi, i thought the head was the wrong way, and it is a little crocked to ,aint never figuerd,that one out. it has been like that long as i can remember.my dad never would talk about the knife at all,and i never could get him to. i think thats why iam to find out what i can now.thanks yall.

03-02-2010, 08:23 PM	#12
stede V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 94	Re: my Bowie knife Pops, if you were to gently turn the eagle head as you would loosen a screw, I'll bet it would line up with the blade- beak down toward the edge. Anton Wingen was in business as a cutler in Solingen, Germany from 1888 until the 1970's. They were an early experimenter with the drop-forging process for making blades... was your dad a WW2 vet, could have brought it back from Germany as a souvenior?

03-03-2010, 10:03 AM	#13
pops42 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: high up on the blue ridge mountains of Va. Posts: 232	Re: my Bowie knife alright,i didnt know that much about it,no my dad was in Korea,but he had been to germany a places like that in europe,so the head might beable to turn around like it should,the top was a brass what looks like a clip over i guess what is the bolt that holds it together, thanks pops

03-04-2010, 01:59 AM	#14
Bill DeShivs Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Contributor Posts: 1,478	Re: my Bowie knife They didn't make "bowie" marked knives in Germany until well AFTER WW2! The knife is post-1950 manufacture, and was imported into the US. __________________ Bill DeShivs www.billdeshivs.com

03-04-2010, 06:37 AM	#15
pops42 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: high up on the blue ridge mountains of Va. Posts: 232	Re: my Bowie knife ok,at this rate i will know just about everything i want to know about it before long,except where and how much he paid for it. still would like to know for sure if all i got to do is just turn the head back like it should be,from where the whole knife is tight, i would hate to break it. thanks yall

03-04-2010, 08:55 PM	#16
stede V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 94	Re: my Bowie knife Your call, Pops- turning the pommel back, that is. I'm 99% sure the eagle-head is screwed onto a threaded tang, and that unscrewing it as you would a bolt will bring it safely back into proper alignment with the blade. But that's easy for me to say, it's not my kniife . And as Bill sez, the knife definitely appears to be post-WWII, though I've seen 'BOWIE' and 'BOWIE KNIFE' and such etchings on both German and English blades with known provenance dating before WWI. I find the Ideal Shirt Company mark very interesting. Did they import knives for commercial re-sale, or is this one of a batch commissioned from Wingen as awards or rewards to employees of the company? Some research is in order, methinks...

03-04-2010, 09:13 PM	#17
stede V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 94	Re: my Bowie knife Hmmmm, a quick search shows a number of German-made blades marked Ideal Shirt Co, perhaps they were an importer... And Bill DeShivs, that DeShivs Custom that fronts your website is without a doubt the prettiest knife I've ever seen. It's just plain a beautiful example of the art, while retaining the essentials of a working knife. Form and function... I am in awe of your skill as a cutler. Last edited by stede; 03-04-2010 at 09:28 PM..

03-05-2010, 01:11 AM	#18
Bill DeShivs Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Contributor Posts: 1,478	Re: my Bowie knife Why, thanky! __________________ Bill DeShivs www.billdeshivs.com

11-04-2010, 10:27 AM	#19
Big T Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1	Re: my Bowie knife I have the same exact knife that was left to me from my grandmother and when I saw these pics of pops knife i could not beleive it I will try to get some pics of mine on here. The eagle head can be turned it is threaded because I just checked mine and took it completely apart.