Winchester 29103 large trapper history?

Winchester entered the knife market as a manufacturer in 1919 by acquiring two existing knife companies; Eagle Knife Co. of Connecticut & Napanoch Knife Co. of New York. Winchester stepped away from the market in 1942 to focus on war related manufactured products, but re-entered in the late 1980s by licensing its name to Blue Grass Cutlery. Blue Grass had high quality knives made by Queen Cutlery that featured the Winchester brand name for a handful of years until the license arrangement ran its course. Winchester eventually started licensing to other companies & now you will find the brand name used by several knife manufacturers by way of license agreements.
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HighPlains
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Winchester 29103 large trapper history?

Post by HighPlains »

I’m researching the Remington 1123 large trapper and it’s offspring. I have some questions about the Blue Grass/Queen Winchester 29103 large trapper.

Did Winchester originally produce a large trapper like this in the old days? Levine (1985, page 187) states: “Similar knives were also introduced by Utica and Union”. I haven’t yet seen proof that Winchester did. Interestingly, however, Levine does include a drawing of a Utica-made large trapper with the same buffalo head shield found on some of the BG/Queen Winchester 29103’s.

So, is the BG/Queen Winchester 29103 a reproduction of an original Winchester copycat of the Remington 1123? Levine says the R1123 was “one of the first” large trappers.

Or is it a direct reproduction of the Remington 1123 in the way that the GEC 23 is? And if this is the case, I wonder just how much Bill Howard had to do with this (probably a lot). Neither alternative would surprise me but I am curious.

Thanks in advance, I know there’s a lot of knowledge on this forum.

Pictured below:
-Winchester 29103 ‘93 & GEC 235208 Red Wine Jigged Bone, a beloved user.
-Utica large trapper drawing, Levine 1985, p187
-Blue Grass/Queen Winchester W18 290103 BH (not mine)
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1967redrider
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Re: Winchester 29103 large trapper history?

Post by 1967redrider »

I've seen old Uticas with Buffalo Head shields, not sure if they were the first to use it? ::shrug:: Usually these old knives in decent shape sell for good $$$.

Here's one previously listed;
viewtopic.php?t=52356
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!

You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
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WillyCamaro
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Re: Winchester 29103 large trapper history?

Post by WillyCamaro »

Real head scratcher for sure ::hmm::
Thank you HighPlanes for the pics/info.
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Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
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