Dimensions / Weight

Dimensions: 5" H x 17.75" W x 1.5" D

Physical Description

Brass mounted, 12 7/8 inch blade, wooden grips. Leather scabbard.

Specific History

This bowie knife was found on the battlefield of Perryville, Kentucky.

General History

It is claimed that the Bowie knife was designed by Rezin Bowie, the brother of James Bowie, and made by the blacksmith, James Black. The blade, made of steel, was up to 14 inches long. It was made in a shape that enabled the cowboy or mountain man to skin or disembowel an animal. In general, the bowie is usually classified as any large knife with a chipped point. The bowie knife was popular from the 1840s through 1865. They were used by United States troops during the Mexican War and on the frontier during the disturbances in Kansas and Missouri in the 1850s. During the Civil War, they were popular with Confederate soldiers, whose arms generally were inferior.