*USA, 1836-1839, Cased Bowie Knife, Made by W&S Butcher, Sheffield, Retailed by Gravely & Wreaks New York*
Box measures: 46cm x19cm x 5cm
Blade measures: 31cm, overall44cm, 5cm wide
Marked on ricasso: "W&S Butcher, For Gravely & Wreaks, New York."
This large, original, hand-crafted Bowie knife remains in excellent condition. Measuring 17 1/2" in overall length, it features a 12 1/4" long, deep-swept Bowie blade that is just under 2" wide at its broadest point and 5mm thick. The ricasso is clearly marked on one side: "W&S Butcher, For Gravely & Wreaks, New York." It is fitted with a heavy brass cross guard and grip frame, along with horn slab grips secured by ball-top brass rivets.
The Bowie is housed in an oak presentation case with a hinged lid and clasp fastener. The interior is lined with padded red material, contoured precisely to hold the knife securely. The lid features a blank brass escutcheon and is adorned with decorative ebonised wood inlays, enhancing the knife’s display quality.
W&S Butcher, 1819-1859, was founded by brothers William and Samuel Butcher, sons of a Sheffield cutler. The firm evolved from William’s edge tool manufactory in Eyre Lane (est. 1819) into a leading steel and cutlery manufacturer by the mid-19th century. Early on, William specialised in tools for export—particularly to plantations in the West Indies and Brazil—while Samuel partnered with Robert Wade in the Wade & Butcher brand, producing razors and table knives. After Wade’s death, the Butcher brothers consolidated operations and, by the 1830s, W&S Butcher had become a dominant force in Sheffield’s steel and tool industry. Their output included razors, edge tools, and Bowie knives, often exported to the US. Samuel regularly travelled to America from the 1820s, establishing agencies and expanding distribution across major US cities.
Gravely & Wreaks - 1836-39. John Gravely and Charles Wreaks, both originally from England, formed a significant retail partnership in New York in the 1830s. Gravely had earlier established himself as a cutlery importer in New York and later in Charleston, while Wreaks, part of a family of English merchants, arrived in New York around 1828. By 1836, the two opened a prominent showroom in the Astor House at Broadway and Barclay, selling imported Sheffield-made knives and cutlery under the “Gravely & Wreaks” brand. Their offerings included Bowie knives, razors, scissors, and duelling pistols, some stamped with both their mark and that of Sheffield manufacturers. However, the partnership was short-lived—dissolving by the end of 1839, when Wreaks launched his own cutlery agency on Gold Street. Knives bearing their name are rare and highly sought after today, representing a brief but significant chapter in the transatlantic cutlery trade.
*Condition*
The blade has just light staining consistent with its age and is sharp with no nicks to the cutting edge. The horn grips are undamaged. There is no movement in the hilt fittings or between the hilt and blade. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
JAQIOO_2540190525
