4344 RARE & LARGE WOODHEAD & HARTLEY FOLDING KNIFE, ONE

SOLD
2,750.00USD
This item SOLD at 2024 Nov 03 @ 16:31UTC-4 : AST/EDT
Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 1,000.00 USD
Estimated at 2,000.00 - 4,000.00 USD
OF TWO KNOWN. 10.5" overall, heavy 4.5" clip-point blade, stamped cyphers of bison head, six dogs, hunter on horseback with a rifle, "AMERICAN HUNTING KNIFE", & "OF THE BEST QUALITY", stamped on ricasso: "WOODHEAD / & HARTLEY / WARRANTED". Second 3.5" smaller blade has full firm mark in different font. Handle has nicely colored horn slabs with vacant German silver escutcheon. The solid German silver front bolsters are stamped "I'M FOR USE", rear bolsters are stamped with recumbent lion, "TRY ME", "WOODHEAD & HARTLEY / SHEFFIELD / WARRANTED" & "GENUINE". This was the second folding knife by Woodhead and Hartley to come to the attention of collectors. As of 2016, world renowned knife expert, Bill Wright, ABKA life member, said that the previous lot and this example were only specimens known, and both have some different cypher decoration. CONDITION: very good to fine overall, markings are complete though horseback hunter cypher partial. PROVENANCE: Larry W. Williams lifetime collection-purchased 1975; pictured in The American Blade, January-February 1976; and in The American Blade March-April, 1976; in Gun Report, July 1977; and in the Antique Bowie Knife Journal, Spring 2005. (02-23268/JS). NON-GUN. $2,000-4,000.