Sandbar Bowie?

[kronckew]

Jim's brother had a knife made for Jim that has been described as a large kitchen knife. this has been converted into the numerous variants we call 'Bowie' knives, usually over 6in. clip point blade & a cross guard. My most recent Bowie seems to be more of the 'Sandbar' type, so I will think of it as one. 10" blade, worn stag handle, razor sharp main edge and the clip is also razor sharp.

[Jim McDougall]

Great topic Wayne! and very nice example of a 'Bowie', one of the most ubiquitous and legendary knives ever! Seldom discussed here, so wanted to add what I can, sort of a treasured subject, years ago lots of research.

While obviously not an early example, and atypical to what is generally held as a 'Bowie', these typically are large blade, clipped point, cross guard, and usually a choil at blade edge root......in going through references there does seem to be suggestion this might indeed be in essence similar to the 'sandbar'.

There is so much apocryphal lore about the Bowie knife itself and of course James Bowie who became a folk hero after the 1827 'Vidalia sandbar' fight near Natchez, Miss. that it has become virtually impossible to isolate fact from the abundant fiction. The most notorious proponent of the fanciful lore that is IMO worthy of Jules Verne was Raymond Thorpe,in his "Bowie Knife" (1949) and cannot even begin to touch the hyperbole here.

One of the most comprehensive books loaded with fantastic illustrations is "The Bowie Knife" by the late Norm Flayderman, 2004. It seems that Jims brother Rezin had a knife for hunting apparently made by a blacksmith near his location in Avoyelles Parish in Louisiana. Jim had been in some trouble with a guy in some of their 'dealings' and he wanted him to have it for self defense. The opportunity came up in the famed sandbar duel in 1827, in which he came out victorious despite being badly wounded.

His fame traveled fast, and some time later while recovering, he met a well known stage celebrity known for his theatrics, loud public quarrels, large custom made weapons often oversize for his performances...Edwin Forrest (1806-1872).
Bowie sent him a knife, which Bowie said in a letter accompanying that THIS was the notorious knife the newspapers were so excited about, and thought he might like to add it to his collection. According to Bernard Levine, in his "Knives and Their Values, 4th Ed." 1985, p,320, he notes this knife does not seem professionally made, and suggests he is satisfied with its authenticity.

While this goes to the 'Sandbar' knife, the fabled knife from the Alamo is yet another mystery!!

In the pics note the 'butcher knife' like knife said to have been Bowies at the Sandbar fight. Then look at the Gilliam/Noble version early Bowie, no guard.
the panel of examples is from Robert Abels collection c. 1960s. Note #5 which is open hilt style Bowie hunting knife, Seattle c. 1900.

In a most esoteric article in the now defunct "Arms Gazette" (March 1977) "The Spanish Notch" by W.R.Williamson; it describes the curious notch (choil) at the base of the blade edge on the knives of this general shape (butcher knife etc) known as Meditteranean or Spanish dirks. These were prevalent with sailors on vessels and it has never been entirely explained what these were for.
The author notes a news ad from the 'MEXICAN CITIZEN", Feb. 12,1833, in San Felipe de Austin, Texas that a shipment of cutlery from Collins & Co. had been received by merchant Lewis Veeder including hatchets, butcher knives, pen knives and Spanish dirks. This was of course the center where James Bowie, Stephen Austin, William Travis were situated, of course three years prior to the Alamo.

interestingly, Sheffield had been supplying knives to US even before 1812, and by 1826 the first full fledged factory completed (William Greaves & Son) and the early Bowie trade began shortly after the Sandbar. Even the well known Wostenholm , Rockingham Works was producing the I*XL knives by 1830. (Levine op. cit p.323).

My example, Mexican Bowie......hilt of chiollo cactus, found in Tucson years ago, probably from late 40s to 50s.