The Collins & Co. of Hartford, Connecticut was world famous for their high quality fighting knives, bayonets, and machetes from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s, to the point that in Latin America a generic term for any machete was a "Collins". In the 1880s, Collins introduced a hefty bowie knife based on the Hospital Corps knife they made for the US Army in the Civil War. Called the "No. 18" bowie, it featured a hefty bowie blade, turned and grooved leather handle, and the now iconic “arm, hammer, and crown” maker’s logo at the ricasso, introduced in 1876. Many of these No. 18 bowies were privately purchased by US servicemen during the Spanish-American War, and they were offered by the legendary adventure outfitters Abercrombie & Fitch of New York in the 1890s as well. This Antique Old West 1880s 1890s Collins & Co. Turned Leather Handle No. 18 Bowie Knife is in Very Good Condition, with some sharpening and light nicking to the blade edge and top false edge, some cleaning, scratching, pitting, and patina at each side of the blade, some light patina to the guard and pommel, some verdigris present at each end of the handle between the guard and pommel, some fading to the “C” in “COLLINS” maker’s mark at the ricasso, some fading to the lower portion of the "8" in the model number marking at the ricasso, and with some scattered age wear evident. Otherwise, the knife is in fine shape, with no other damage. Most interestingly, it features a bright 13 3/4" clip point bowie blade with a top false edge and two fullers along each side, sports a crisp, beautiful turned and grooved stacked brown leather washer "tootsie roll" handle, and is stamped at the ricasso with the classic "arm, hammer, and crown" maker’s logo of its maker, the famous "LEGITIMUS / COLLINS & CO / HARTFORD". The knife boasts a lustrous brass guard with "ball" ends, carries an elegant, matching brass pommel cap, and is a fine example of a very rare, original Antique Old West 1880s 1890s Collins & Co. Turned Leather Handle No. 18 Bowie Knife. No scabbard included.