OT-About how much is this bowie worth?

[rangerider7]

Does anyone know the value of large Bowie knives? A fellow trader wants to trade me out of it. I have know idea of its worth or age. I was told it was old. The sheath was made for it after I got it. I just need an approximate value. If you know. Thanks!

[Old Savage]

That one is quite unique - sure you want to trade it away. You can get ones that look similar for about $125 to $175 unless that is really something valueable without us knowing it. Might post it one of the knife forums.

[tomtex]

Thats a fighting Bowie you have, and a very good design ,try some of the knife maker forums , they should be-able to help you. If not , I sure your Bowies design will be copied by them. and put on the market, good luck.

[Blaine]

Is there a name on it? Is the handle ivory? Good steel that holds an edge? It is really cool; I'm not sure I'd trade that off........

[Pete44ru]

It "could" be modern, but it "looks right", to me.

Just my $0.02, it's worth a minimum of $350-$500 or more, if an antique and unmarked/unattributed.
A modern is worth whatever you can get for it - usually less than $100.
If the maker's name or mark can be found, I've seen similar ones auction for several large (very large) (read: in the thousand's).

My $0.02 1/2 - I would rather be buried with that toothsome rib tickler, than to trade or sell it.
After all - Where would you ever get another like it ?

YMMV, of course.

.

[rjohns94]

that is a beautiful knife. If original, it would be priceless to me and not for sale or trade. Whether the maker was known or not, I like the period piece and would simply have to keep it. Let me ask this, what is it worth to you? If you have a price in mind that you would part with it for, and I can afford it, I will give you cash money for it. I think it would go real well with my sharps rig I'm putting together. PM if you want.

[Duff L Bagg]

That is a fine looking pig stricker. I would be hard pressed to let that one slip away from me. BTW you never mentioned what you friend want to put up for trade, I assume that it is something pretty substantial?

[Charles]

IF it is an original American Bowie, it an early one, most likely pre-Civil War. At least the only original ones I have seen with a clip that extends that far back on the blade date from that period.

It the handle ivory or bone. I looks a little more like bone to me. It could be stag with the bark removed. Stag was not used as a handle material until late in the 19th century.

I don't pretend to be an expert on these things, just a fellow who has had an interest in these knives for quite some time.

[Ysabel Kid]

My $0.02 1/2 - I would rather be buried with that toothsome rib tickler, than to trade or sell it.

+1 That is a fine looking piece of steel. How long is the blade itself?

[Rusty]

Just to answer the question as it was asked, I'd say pricing should start around $250 minimum. I'm no expert. that would be about what it would bring in this area. IMHO.

[C. Cash]

Something tells me that your knife is not a run of the mill Bowie rangerider. Who ever did that knife had a nice sense of style in it's design(said the guy who knows little about knives). Could be rare, come from a highly desired maker, could be of a certain era that makes it more valuable...just don't know but I would suspect it enough to research it. You might try a knife forum to start or could you possibly get Scott T. to forward an email to Bill Bagwell? Personally I would keep that puppy as it is something you would probably never come across again.

[O.S.O.K.]

First off, I wouldn't let that get away from me.... second, the true Bowies looked nothing like that they were very plain looking compared to the modern renditions - insofaras we know - its actually something of a historical mystery. However, that is a really nice blade regardless.

Here is an example of a modern rendition of what is thought to be the original Bowie:

[Last Spike]

I'd hold off until you get more information about this knife - try Blade Forums. Also do a search for Bernard Levine - he wrote a number of books on knife values and I think would be a good source of information.

[HATCHETTJACK]

Does anyone know the value of large Bowie knives? A fellow trader wants to trade me out of it. I have know idea of its worth or age. I was told it was old. The sheath was made for it after I got it. I just need an approximate value. If you know. Thanks!

well its kinda ugly, in fact the smart thing to do would be to send it to me to dispose of it for ya

[winchester1886]

That sure is one beautiful knife I would not part with it until I checked out everything about it, maybe the guy that wants to trade it from you knows more then he is letting on, if it is old and it looks old I think it could be worth big bucks, I saw one that looked just like that at a gun show down here in the upside down land about two years ago, and they wanted over eight hundred bucks, I saw two at a gun show at Maitland about six weeks ago and they were two and a half thousand each, they were made by the English maker George Wostenholm & Son of Sheffield. On second thoughts I don't think I would part with a knife like that at all, you will probably never get another one like that again.

[Last Spike]

I agree with winchester1886's remarks - don't sell until you know for certain how much it's really worth - otherwise you'll be kicking yourself for the rest of your life.

[rangerider7]

Sorry for the delay in my reply, grand-kids keep us busy in the summer. It has a 9 inch blade, no makers name, and I would say bone handles. I guess I will wait until I get more information. I'm in a trade for a 1st generation Colt SAA. I will just use something else. Your right this trader really wants this bowie. I just don't know enough to tell what it is worth. It looks to have some age but how much I'm not sure. It is an impressive bowie.

[lever-4-life]

You should keep it. I sell alot of old knifes but I am not an expert, but I wouldnt take a DIME less than $500 for it. What you have is a very early style that is most often found in the south and anywhere there was a gold/silver rush in the years after the civil war. If there is no name then I can not give an exact place of mfg but in my oppinon it is most likely confederate. All of the documented confederate blades I have had hav had about the same "look" as yours dose. The documented GAR knifes on the other hand have more of an stream lined look much like the ones in O.S.O.K.'s pic. It would be well worth your while to take it to a gun show and just politely ask a vintage knife dealer to tell you what you have, He may tell you different than I have but you will get some info from somebody that knows knifes.

[awp101]

Your right this trader really wants this bowie.

There's your first clue to it's worth...

[Pete44ru]

Well, the trade bait should tell you a lot - since a 1st Gen SAA's value getting North of $2500 easily, these days, for a run-of-the-mill gun, never mind one of a desired caliber/config.

I would consider the offered SAA a "low ball" - but, then again, I wouldn't be letting that Bowie go, anytime soon.

.

[KCSO]

The guard looks too thick for an old Sheffield knife to me. The bone handles are not quite aged enough. The blade design is right but i have to tell you I made and aged a number of these in the 1980's and found out later that they were sold buy a crook as original knives. If you see a faint DJ anywhere on the knife it is NOT old.

[rangerider7]

I looked it over real good when I got it a few years ago, no DJ or any markings.

[Old Ironsights]

IMO you should go HERE: http://www.gun-appraisals.com/ sign up and submit closeup pics and all info. They will sell you a reasonably accurate (for not touching the piece) appraisal for a fair price.