Original U.S. WWI Model 1917 Bolo Knife by Plumb St. Louis with 1918-Dated Canvas Scabbard - Dated 1918

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice Model 1917 C.T. Bolo knife, manufactured by Fayette R. Plumb Inc, whose main factory was in the Bridesburg region of Philadelphia, PA. They had another factory, just constructed, in St. Louis as well, and 1917 bolos were produced at both.

This model was a moderate simplification of the earlier 1910 Bolo made by Springfield Armory. The main difference is the lack of the catch mechanism on the scabbard and grip, but on this example it doesn’t latch on and is a bit loose. It was manufactured by contractors such as Plumb and A.C. Co. The blade ricasso of this example is marked:

PLUMB
ST. LOUIS
1918

The reverse is marked:

U.S. MOD.
1917 C.T.

The markings are faint but still legible.

Blade and ricasso still have much of the original black finish, and are in very good condition. There is also the usual runner wear on both sides of the blade. The main edge of the model 1917, such as this one, is mostly ground from one side, while the other side was left flat. 

The grip is in good but heavily worn condition, with some minor scuffing on one side near the pommel.

The scabbard is in fair condition, with the expected wear from 100 years of age, and a bit of fabric shrinking. There is some staining on the leather portion, and the canvas sleeve is not well-attached to the scabbard and slides off without much effort. The end is marked AK-CO / 1918 / R.H.S..

Overall in very good lightly used condition, and a great chance to add to any military knife collection. Ready to display!

Specifications:
Blade Length: 10 1/4"
Blade Style: "Bolo" Machete
Overall length: 15“
Crossguard: 3 3/4”
Scabbard Length: 11"