Bowie with Rosewood and Sterling Silver

Product Description for Bowie with Rosewood and Sterling Silver

Maker: Bill Moran (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 107329
*** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind ***
Blade length: 9.90 in.
Cutting edge length: 9.20 in.
Total length: 15.00 in.
Blade height (at heel): 1.83 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.24 in.
Blade thickness (at midpoint): 0.24 in.
Blade thickness (near tip): 0.21 in.
Item weight: 20.40 oz.
Shipment weight: 33.8 oz.
Blade: Hand forged carbon steel
Bolster: Sterling silver guard and pommel
Handle: Rosewood with a sterling silver escutcheon
Sheath: Brown leather sheath
Description: Bill Moran is considered a legend among the knifemaking community and even considered the "father of modern damascus". He is credited for single-handedly reviving the lost art of forging damascus that has captivated knife enthusiasts and collectors worldwide! Bill founded the American Bladesmithing Society in 1976 and the American Bladesmith School in 1988 to continue teaching the craft of world class knifemaking. There are few knives that are more collectable than an original Bill Moran knife and we were excited to get one of his extremely rare bowie knives. This knife was kept in a private collection. It has been meticulously cared for and has never been used. It is in great condition despite being over 50 years old! The Lime Kiln mark dates this knife to being made between the mid-1950s until 1973. Only around a dozen knives were made by Moran with sterling silver guards and pommels, very few of these, if any others, were a large bowie like this. Bill made a "STERLING" stamp to mark these knives on the guards. This stamp was lost when the Moran shop flooded during Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and another one was never made. This dates this bowie to 1972 or before. As rare as an original Moran knife is today, this is an extremely rare find even for the biggest of Moran collectors. This knife could easily be the crown jewel of any serious knife collection.
The hand forged carbon steel blade measures 11 inches long. Due to when the knife was made, the blade is likely forged from 5160 carbon steel. The blade features Moran's Lime Kiln mark on the right side of the ricasso. The broad blade has substantial weight and would easily handle most chopping tasks. The blade is convex ground at the cutting edge for additional chip resistance. The blade is in excellent condition and has only slight scuffs and scratches. There is a slight hallow on the right side of the blade where a plaque was most likely attached at one point. The mark is very minimal.
The handle is rosewood sculpted to provide a comfortable grip. The escutcheon, S-guard, and pommel are sterling silver. The guard is stamped "STERLING". Some slight nicks can be seen in the guard due to the knife's age.
A hand stitched brown leather sheath is included to safely transport the knife. The knife also includes a stand and a shadow box with an engraved brass plaque with the knife's information. The plaque suggests the knife was made in 1972. Based on the marks, it would have been 1972 or before.
This is a rare opportunity to own an extremely difficult to find piece of of knife history.


Availability: Not currently available