Antique Masonic Guardless Coffin Bowie Knife with Civil War History

This video shows and discusses the history behind a well known antique bowie knife of the 1830s - 1840s era. Made somewhere in the Arkansas-Louisiana-Mississippi region, this elegant and beautifully made silver mounted guardless coffin bowie knife is of what we call a “heart-coffin” variety and resembles some that are associated with Washington, Arkansas and its legendary blacksmith James Black. While the original owner is not conclusively known, during the Civil War it was obtained by Sgt. Frederick J. Peabody of Company G., the 4th Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry — probably at the Confederate prison camp at Point Lookout, Maryland. Sgt. Peabody was killed at Petersburg September 30, 1864, the day before he was to return home. Many years later, the knife was discovered in a Rhode Island attic with a tintype, a bible, and a couple of other knives, and a note that read, "Father’s bible carried with him during the war, and knives gotten from rebel soldiers."

Forty Six Months with the Fourth R.I. Volunteers 1861-1865 link:
https://www.google.com/books/edition/...

This knife was part of the “A Sure Defense: The Bowie Knife in America” exhibit at Historic Arkansas Museum in 2013-2014, and is included in the book of the same name. https://www.knifemagazine.com/product...

Popular video "A Bowie knife history and time line..Featuring the collection of Mark Zalesky” from the Antique Bowie Knife Channel, featuring this knife:    • A Bowie knife history and time line.....  

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