RARE JOSEPHALLEN & SONS CIRCA 1900s BOWIE KNIFE
Arare maker-marked Joseph Allen & Sons English bowie made sometime in the in the late 1890s-to early 1900s. NON-*XLL (standing for “NoneWill Excel”) is stamped on blade. The Ricasso is stamped “ Joseph Allen & Sons,Sheffield England, suggesting it was made after 1890.. The clip point blade steelis forged carbon. This fine collectible English Bowie, over 100 years old, comesin a leather sheath. Blade length is 6.125”.Blade is full tang. Overall length is 10.125”.Antique handle is real stag horn. Blade exhibitssome light surface pitting but has not been refurbished or polished in order topreserve its original condition (important for Collectors). Condition is NKCA Grade Very Good to Excellent. FREE INSURED MAIL. Note: A Jos Allen & Sons similar bowie recently sold on Christie sale house for over $800 and had been appraised at over $1,000 (LOT 6). style=\"margin: 0px 0px 10.66px;\">HISTORY: The founderof the company was Joseph Allen, the son of a sickle maker, who had been bornin Dronfield in about 1829. By 1851, Joseph had moved to Sheffield and had beentrained as a razor smith, but was working as a servant. He then worked as arazor smith in New Edward Street(1861) and a \"razor back forger\" inRockingham Street(1871). By 1881, he was living in Solly Street and employingten men, with his address by the late 1880s as Oak Works, New Edward Street. Allenbuilt a reputation for his hollow ground razor and bowie knives.. In 1883,Joseph Allen & Sons acquired the \"NON-XLL\" mark from Unwin &Rodgers, which he stamped on his cutlery products. The US firm Adolph Kastor also paid Allen a royalty for theuse of its \"NON-XLL\" mark, because of the resemblance to Wostenholm\'s \"I*XL\". Joseph Allen diedon 22 November 1893, aged 65. By then, Allen\'s had moved to Ecclesall Works,No.245 Rockingham Street. At the turn of the century, the business was managedby Joseph Allen and James Edward Allen, the sons of the founder. As thetraditional razor business declined after the early 1900s, Allen\'s switched toother cutlery and acquired additional trademarks, including a picture of twocrossed fish; and a broadsword (with the word \"Sheffield\"). Thechairman, Joseph Allen, died on 25 November 1917, aged 58. He was also chairmanof H.G. Long. Henry Robert Hounam was a partner inAllen\'s untill about 1921. Joseph Bingham Allen was the managing director ofAllen\'s when he died, on 18 April 1931, aged 44. The company was liquidated in1933, but was listed in directories.