Manufactured in the mid to late 19th century by the George Wostenholm firm of Sheffield, England, one of the largest Sheffield manufacturers and importers to the United States during westward expansion, the gold rush era, the Civil War, and beyond. This massive and ornate example was quite possible made specifically for one of the many popular trades fairs during the period, given its size and embellishment. Knives such as this one would have been a fantastic example of what the Wostenholm firm was capable of. This huge hunting knife measures 17 1/2 inches overall with an 11 3/4 inch drop point blade that has near full-length fullers on both sides. The fuller on the left side is filled with an impressive acid etched panel featuring cornucopias and floral motifs. The upper left of the blade below the spine has the Wostenholm Washington Works marking, Celebrated Hunting Knife marking, and the I*XL trademark. The silver plated guard is shaped like two leaves with hand filed veins and has a silver plated and grooved bolster below it. It is fitted with smooth, imitation tortoise shell grips over hardwood, with a blank German silver nameplate on the left. Includes a leather sheath with ornately shaped silver fittings.

Very fine, the blade is mostly bright with some very light polishing evidence and crisp markings and engraving. It retains much of the silver plating on the guard and bolster, which shows an attractively aged patina. The grips are good with a few minor cracks and a couple pieces absent from the right panel. The sheath is fine with a large piece of leather absent. A fantastic, exhibition quality knife from the world famous Wostenholm firm of Sheffield!