Bowie Knife - Usa

George Wostenholm is one of the most influential and important knife manufacturers in the world. The company began in 1787 in Sheffield, England, and soon came out with its famous I*XL brand. I*XL is one of Sheffield's most famous brands. George Wolstenholme and Son was the first to use the brand on knives. The company name was shortened to George Wostenholm sometime before 1820. They acquired the I*XL brand in 1826, meaning that knives bearing the I*XL brand were made after that date. The Bowie knife is a legend of the American frontier. Although it was primarily marketed and used as a hunting knife, it is primarily a weapon. Its history begins in the 1820s, when James Bowie successfully defended himself with a large knife at the Sandbar Battle in Louisiana. His brother, Rezin, had made the knife a year before. The story of the Sandbar battle, combined with the death of James Bowie during the defense of the Alamo in 1836, gave the "Bowie Knife" immense popularity. To this day, this story is known to collectors of antique Bowie knives. DESCRIPTION Made in Sheffield, England for a box in Washington. Handsome stag horn handle, one side has a silver plaque to inscribe the owner's name. Engraved "G. WOSTENHOLM & SON. WASHINGTON WORKS. SHEFFIELD. I*XL." DIMENSIONS Overall length: 9 inches (23 cm) Blade length: 5 inches (13 cm) Sheath length: 5.5 inches (14 cm)