Info on Civil War style D Guard Bowie

[JWheeler331]

I don't think this is an actual old Civil War knife but was wondering if anyone has any info on when it may have actually been made and by whom?

Knife says Leech and Rigdon Memphis Tenn.

Looks artificially aged to me but maybe others will have more info.

[1967redrider]

All I know is beware of fakes. Just my 2 cents.

[JWheeler331]

All I know is beware of fakes. Just my 2 cents.

I have had it for years but don't remember where I got it. Like I said.... I have always assumed it was a replica. Just wondering who actually made it.

[btrwtr]

Yep. Looks modern to me. Heavy duty looking knife.

Wayne

[JWheeler331]

Yep. Looks modern to me. Heavy duty looking knife.

Wayne

It does seem to be a decent knife. Sharp and heavy duty.

[tongueriver]

I have no idea whether it is fake or not; it would be relatively easy to do. However, I know that there were some confederate knives that would have looked just about like that and I know that Leech & Rigdon was a supplier of various goods to the confederate cause. I would be cautious about calling it a fake without further research. Bernard Levine would be an excellent resource in this matter.

[knife7knut]

Stamp looks to be struck individually and they didn't leave the blade in the urine bath long enough.Just my opinion folks.

[tongueriver]

Sounds like someone knows a little about fakery. I don't know beans about it. Here is an interesting link on the history of Leech & Rigdon cutlery.
http://www.littlegun.info/arme%20americ ... h%20gb.htm

[1967redrider]

Legitimate Confederate D-Guards are as rare as hen's teeth. But I'm enjoying that BP revolver link.

[edge213]

I'm no expert, but in the pictures the patina looks faked.

[JWheeler331]

I'm no expert, but in the pictures the patina looks faked.

I agree. It looks more like a surface rust in person also. Metal underneath seems to in good condition. I have some old knives that are not as old as a civil war knife and look much older as far as the metal goes.

I am very curious to know of these were made as a reproduction or if someone just flat out was making this as a counterfeit.

I like the knife but would like to know more about its origin.

[knife7knut]

I'm no expert, but in the pictures the patina looks faked.

I agree. It looks more like a surface rust in person also. Metal underneath seems to in good condition. I have some old knives that are not as old as a civil war knife and look much older as far as the metal goes.

I am very curious to know of these were made as a reproduction or if someone just flat out was making this as a counterfeit.

I like the knife but would like to know more about its origin.

There were a lot of counterfeit knives floating around in the 1970's and 80's;especially bowie style hunting knives. There was a time prior to knife collecting becoming really popular(read profitable)when you couldn't give them away at gun shows. Thanks to Jim Parker and Bill Adams and several others knives became a hot commodity;and when that happens the counterfeiters also proliferate.
Judging from the profile of the blade(especially around the tang area)it looks to be of German origin although there were a fair amount of English fakes as well. The first indication(to me anyway)was the pommel nut.I have NEVER seen a pre-1900 knife with a pommel nut.Virtually all knives(with the exception of cast silver handles)of that era are full tang with slab scales usually of stag or wood.If they have a one piece handle(usually wood)the tang is peened over to hold the handle on. The D guards are usually pretty crude;especially Civil War era knives.
In the 1960's there was a maker in England(Fred James)who was turning out bowie knives with an I*XL stamp on them.The blades were etched with sayings similar to the Gold Rush era knives and the blades had a faux patina created by soaking them in urine. Stag scales and horsehead pommels completed the knives. Although they were pretty well made if you compared them to a real bowie it wasn't difficult to tell them apart. Fred was actually employed by Wostenholm at one time which is probably where he got the tang stamps.
Here is a pic of five bowies.The top one is a genuine 1880's era Joseph Rodgers.The second is a 1960's era German made bowie.Third is the Fred James bowie.Fourth is a newly made knife by Silver Stag ,and the last is a cable Damascus Colt bowie made in China.The closeup tells the story.

[JWheeler331]

Thanks for the info and pics of your bowies.

[tongueriver]

I just attempted to attach a Word .doc on D-guard bowies made by a close relative to one of my paternal ancestors in Alabama, but this website apparently does not accept that file extension. It has some very nice photographs and text. If anyone wants it, I am at [email protected]