Manufactured in the mid-late 1800s by the George Wostenholm firm of Sheffield, England. The Wostenholm company moved into their huge Washington Works facility, perfectly positioning them to deal with the demands of the American market during the period of western expansion. Being one of the most prolific maker's during this period, Wostenholm Bowie knives are nearly as synonymous with the American frontier as the Colt Single Action Army revolver and the Winchester lever action. This example measures 11 inches overall, with a 6 5/8 inch clip point blade. The maker's markings and trademarks are all on the left side of the blade and ricasso, including the iconic "I*XL" trademark. It has a German silver elliptical guard and is fitted with smooth antique ivory grips with a German silver escutcheon on the left. The included sheath is black leather with gilt accents and German silver fitting (tip fitting absent).

Very good, the blade is almost entirely polished bright with some scattered patches of light surface etching/pitting, minimal wear, and crisp markings. The German silver shows attractive light aging. The grips have an attractively aged tone with some light handling marks and a few short stress lines. The sheath is good with some material loss at the tip and moderate wear. A very attractive Bowie knife with the character of the frontier!