Manufactured c. 1849-1881 by the Abraham Leon firm of Sheffield, England. At the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, Leon's firm won an honorable mention for their "American hunters knives" and dagger knives. Sheffield made knives such as those from Leon were extremely popular during the American Civil War period, with the American market on both sides of the conflict making up the majority of their consumer base. Despite being noted as a fairly prolific maker, knives by Leon are relatively scarce on today's market, in any condition. This example measures 14 inches overall, with an 8 7/8 inch drop point blade. The left ricasso has the maker's mark and 190 Solly St. address in three lines, and "A Washingtonian" stamped near the spine, a clear marketing ploy to lure American customers. The right ricasso is marked with the "O*K" trademark. The elliptical guard is of German silver with a small bolster below it and a slightly curved grip of stag antler fitted with a German silver butt cap. Includes a red leather holster with gilt accents and German silver fittings.

Very good, the blade generally bright with some scattered patches of grey patina and light pitting, and the markings clear overall. The German silver is mostly bright and the grip is very fine with minimal handling evidence. The sheath is very fine with some light wear. Knives such as this would have been valued as a last line of defense both during the Civil War and during the America's period of westward expansion!