James Russell Green River Knife Circa 1860
Item #: AA3120
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This is a James Russell & co. knife made at the Green River facility in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Russell started his operation in Greenfield, Massachusetts around 1832, where he manufactured axe heads and chisels. He soon shifted his attention to manufacturing cutlery in an attempt to compete with the cutlery industry dominated at that time by the firms located in Sheffield, England. Russell's knifes gained popularity in the late 1850's-1860's when the western migration began. Known to be dependable and withstand most anything the new frontier could bring to bear, the demand for these new "Green River" knives grew to the point where approximately 60,000 per year were shipped out west. They became the favorite knife of mountain men, trappers, traders and native Americans. The knives were made of high quality steel that rarely broke and held an edge for quite a while. This one, made circa 1860, measures 11" overall, with a 6 1/4" blade. The obvers side of the blade has the Russell trademark stamped on it, "J.RUSSELL&CO/GREENRIVERWORKS". This old skinning knife uses rosewood handles, retained by three iron pins. The steel has taken on a dull gray patina. It still holds a pretty good edge right now. Someone has paced a whie tag on the obverse grip with a hand written description, "J.RUSSELL-GREEN RIVER/ROSEWOOD HANDLE C1860. This Green River knief will make an excellent addition to your western, Mountain man or cowboy themed collection.
Shipping Weight:
2 lbs
Item # AA3120
Your Price $175.00 USD
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