LOT #40076 |
Sold on Jun 10, 2024 for: Sign-in
or Join (free & quick)
Extremely Rare WWII Ernest Warther Fighting Knife in the Original Wooden Shipping Box.. ...
Click the image to load the highest resolution version.
Sold on Jun 10, 2024 for:
$13,750.00
Bid Source: HA.com/Live bidder
Get one of these:
Explore Available Items
Description
Extremely Rare WWII Ernest Warther Fighting Knife in the Original Wooden Shipping Box.This finely crafted fighting knife features a 7-inch double-edged blade (11 ½-inches overall), measuring about 1-inch at the ricasso with a 4-inch oval aluminum crossguard and flared aluminum pommel. The ebony grip panels are held by machined aluminum escutcheons and brass pins. The obverse grip has an oblong aluminum escutcheon plate stamped "35232873"; the reverse has an identical escutcheon stamped "Wm. G. ROBEY". The obverse of the Romanesque-scabbard is stippled brass decorated with cut-out chevron designs and mounted to the jeweled stainless steel reverse plate via round-head brass rivets. A 3/16-inch piece of fiber is sandwiched between the two plates. The reverse of the scabbard is fitted with a substantial brass belt loop stamped: "ERNEST WARTHER / DOVER-O-U.S.A. / 1945." The knife is complete with the modestly fitted wooden shipping box. The box measures 12 ½ x 4 ½ x 1 ¾-inches. The top lid of the box has a rather worn illegible shipping label but is also addressed by hand to "Pfc. Wm. G. Robey / 507th Sqdn 333 Bomb Gp. / Great Bend, Kansas." The lid also displays a postal "INSURED" stamp, postmarked Canton, Ohio and dated March 1945.
Ernest "Mooney" Warther was born on October 30, 1885, the son of Swiss emigrants who relocated to the United States in 1881. The family settled in the Dover area of Ohio. Legend has it that Mooney found a pocket knife at the age of five which started a lifelong passion for whittling and wood carving. As a young man his carvings impressed the likes of President Warren G. Harding and Henry Ford. By 1923 he was making kitchen knives full time to support his family and his love of carving. When WWII started Warther produced fighting knives in support of the war effort. M. H. Cole does not provide production numbers but other experts have placed Warther's output at about a 1,000 knives. Cursory research failed to shed much light on Private William G. Robey other than obviously having good taste in his choice of knives.
See M. H. Cole, U.S. Military Knives, Book IV, page 155 and Michael W. Silvey, Knives of the United States Military World War II, page 232.
Condition: A fine example of this scarce fighting knife with no signs of real usage.
Auction Info
2024 June 10 Arms & Armor, Civil War & Militaria Signature® Auction #6291 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
June, 2024
10th
Monday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 4
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 1,089
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
25% on the first $1,000,000 (minimum $49), plus 20% of any amount between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000, plus 15% of any amount over $5,000,000 per lot.
Shipping, Taxes, Terms and Bidding
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms
Important information concerning Sales Tax and Resale Certificates. Learn More
Terms and Conditions | Bidding Guidelines and Bid Increments | Glossary of Terms