Modern

1 Bill Moran custom knife available.  This William Moran knife would make a centerpiece knife in any collection. 

The guard, pommel, and handle crest are made of Sterling Silver.  The pommel is stamped ‘STERLING‘.  The blade measures 9 7/8″.  This knife measures 15″ overall.  

The ricasso is stamped ‘BY W.F. MORAN   LIME KILN MD.’. 

SIGNIFICANCE:

I showed this knife to ABS Master Bladesmith A.J. ‘Barney’ Barnes on 4-13-18.  He let me know that there were probably just around 12 knives or so made by Bill Moran with a Sterling Silver pommel and/or guard.  In fact, Barney let me know that these knives were made in the late ’60s/early ’70s.  Bill had a friend that owned a Silver works–his friend owned Kirk & Son Silver (now Kirk-Stieff).  Bill sourced his Silver from him.  Bill Moran had a small ‘STERLING’ stamp that he had made, and used on these few knives.  

Barney let me know that Bill’s ‘STERLING’ stamp was lost when the Moran shop flooded with at least 4 feet of water during Hurricane Agnes in 1972.  They don’t know if it washed away, or was swept up with all the debris during clean-up after the water receded.  He didn’t have another stamp made, so this knife was made no later than 1972.  

This large Moran Bowie with Sterling Silver pommel and guard is quite rare–he knows the location of only one other Moran knife with Sterling Silver, and it is a much smaller knife.