xxSOLD Signed American Bowie Knife Ca. 1840-1855
Early Signed Connecticut Made Bowie Knife Ca. 1840's
This is an impressive signed American Bowie knife which is 15 5/8" long overall with a 10 1/4" blade and a 4 1/8" sharpened false edge. The ricasso is stamped "D. ROPES" in a rectangular cartouche. It has a beautiful tapered stag handle with an engraved silver endcap with the name "Thomas Vanden or Landen" neatly scribed in old English block letters, undoubtedly engraved by David Ropes. The owner states that the endcap came off years ago and was reattached, but the reverse side was a Mexican silver coin of 1830's vintage. David Ropes was a jeweler, cutler, and silversmith born Dec. 15, 1814 in Connecticut who is listed as working in Portland ME, then Meridian CT for most of his career, and finally he is listed as the President of the Vulcanite Jewelry Co. of Orange, NJ in 1880. While working in Meridian CT, Ropes was granted a US Patent No. 6,482 on May 29, 1849 for a unique method of attaching handles to round tang knives. **SOLD**
Condition: Very Good.