Bowie Knife

[Augustus McCrae]

Is the bowie knife in the Arkansas Museum the original first one without doubt?

[Hannah Wolbrueck]

Thank you so much for your time and effort!  I am willing to go to Atlanta, however it will have to be in after my daughter's wedding in mid October.  The knife has been a mystery to me and my siblings for all of  our lives.   It would be nice to have an expert look at it and confirm or deny as to its age.

[C. F. 'Charley' Eckhardt]

It turns out the knowledgeable guy at Atlanta Cutlery retired about 5 years ago & sold the company to a bunch of Indians who wouldn't know chocolate pie from cowpatty about historical American knives.  I have one last suggestion.  Take the knife to UTSA's anthropology/ archaeology dept.  Have them remove a small scraping of the only organic matter on it, those bone grip scales, & do a carbon-14 test on it.  That will date the grip scales, and since the've been with the knife since it was made, it will also date the knife.  They shouldn't need enough to damage the grip scale, but if it looks like they're going to have to have enough to make a visible scar on the grip scale, don't have it done.  It's better not to know than to do visible damage to the artifact.  If you will send me a postcard with your e-mail address on it, I'll contact you that way with my e-mail.  I'm going to keep working on this.  There's somebody out there who can help & that person can be found.  I'll do my level best to find him/her.  That knife has intrigued me since I first saw it. 

[Hannah Wolbrueck]

I can't send you a message unless you accept me as a friend on this forum.  I sent you a friend request that should be in your email.  

 

Thank you!

[C. F. 'Charley' Eckhardt]

One more possibility. Jackson Arms in University Park, literally across the street from SMU. Red Jackson's bound to be dead now, but Jackson Arms specializes in Texas arms, both edged and firearms. Again. you want an authentication, you don't want to sell the knife. Talk to the chief appraiser. Tell those folks where it came from--the Norris collection--and how your father came by it.

Incidentally, I really don't understand this whole 'friend' business. I'm a 71-year-old writer who, for the most part, considers a computer the most wonderful electric typewriter he's ever had, but really understands less about computers than some guy from London would understand about a cowpony. I grew up on horseback. I don't even like cars all that much.

[Hannah Wolbrueck]

[e-mail]

 

A true Texan.  My mother was raised in a horse/ranch family.  They never walked when they could ride. 

[Hannah Wolbrueck]

I have confirmation from Jackson Armory that they can also look at edged weapons.  A David Jackson is president.  Am assuming one of Red Jackson's sons.  We will definitely be setting up an appointment.

 

Thank you.