Bill Bagwell Hell's Belle engraved by Master engraver the late E.C. Prudhomme

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Hello I'm Dominique in NY. I have just joined this great site, but I recognize that my education has been lacking in some respects. I am not sure if I am doing the right thing in how to post this thread as I have never participated in these kind of forums. I was wondering if someone could help me with the following: Back in the early 70's Mr. E.C. Pruhomme of Shreveport, Louisiana was doing some incredible engraving on the knives made by legendary bladesmith Bill Bagwell, more precisely on a knife called "Hell's Belle" . The entire production was limited to twenty-five pieces. Each Belle's was engraved and had the owner's name carved in the pommel, and came in a striking display presentation case . I would like to know if anyone has a picture of such knife that will show what it looks like as I am unable to locate any to this date? Since I am contemplating to do a book on Bagwell, perhaps if anyone seeing this thread have some Bagwell knives and will be kind to contact me in order to have photographs of such knives, I will be extremely grateful to such collector. I am also seeking any Bill Bagwell catalogues. I trust someone will see this thread and be able to respond! Bagwell was also offering back then at the same time two knives called : Widow Maker and the Streetwalker's Companion. Does anyone out there will have such example of these knives to see what they were ? Many thanks-Dominique (P.S. Are we allowed to post a phone number for a quickest response?
 

monk

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your'e certainly welcome here to seek such info. i cant answer that, except to say he was very busy at his craft, and was always willing to help a newbie.
 

SamW

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You can post contact info in your profile which would be the best place,,,I think. Anytime you mention Prudhomme you are in the right place.

Perhaps Roger Bleile will see this and be able to help you. He is the FEGA historian and very knowledgeable on the subject of engravers.

I don't recall any photos of the knives but will check what I have.
 
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Thank you so much Mr. Sam for your reply/message. I trust someone will be able to help me as to locate photographs of Bill Bagwell Helle's Belle, The Widow Maker and the Streetwalker's Companion. Although very new at these type of forums it looks like I did not "screw-up" with how to post a thread. Will update my contact info as your suggestion. Thank you so much Mr. Sam. I saw a book on Mr. E.C. Prudhomme engraving... I am just wondering if by any chances there will be pictures of Bagwell knives in it? If so I will purchase it.
 

SamW

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I just check a brochure of his I own and with 12 pages of photos of Prudhomme engraving there is not one knife.

If you are talking about Jack's book Gun Engraving Review, I will check that and get back to you.
 

dlilazteca

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This has just spiked my curiosity when you guys find a picture please don't forget to post it here

GunEngraver.com Custom Guns Knives and More PAYMENT PLANS Available
 

Sam

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Welcome to the Cafe. I'm sorry I can't help you with the info you're seeking on Bagwell. I knew Jack Prudhomme and he played a big part in my early career.

Cheers / ~Sam
 
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Dear SamW: This is what I know about Bagwell's three knives mentioned in my original post/thread at 3:00PM ( I don't understand how things work because it is now 2:00PM in NY and I posted early this morning?): Between 1971-73 Bill Bagwell marketed three knives as he thought they will be of interest to knife collectors or his customers. They were : Hell's Belle, (see details in my first post) the Widow Maker and the Streetwalker's Companion. As the name themselves indicate and as one might surmise, Bagwell was trying to capture the spirit of the wild and woolly early to mid-1800's. The Widow Maker was somehow a bit macabre of business which was only available in ivory or ebony handles. The ivory-handled version depicted a fearsome scrimshaw of the James Bowie Vs Norris-Wright at the Vidalia Sandbar duel that took place on the Louisiana side of the Mississippi opposite Natchez on September 19, 1827, which could be find on the reverse of such knife while a "Grim Reaper" with James Bowie scene and scythe in hand was on the opposite side. The Bowie-type knife had an 9-7/8-inch long blade fashioned from a classic English fighting style knife, most likely originally done by Sheffield smiths in England as the country was flooded with Bowie knives mas-produced in that country, by cutlers who inscribed the weapons with patriotic American slogans. All these slogans were invented in Great Britain to cash in on the surge of nationalism in the United States. Originally price for the Widow Maker in ivory was $175.00 and $95.00 for the ebony version. The Streetwalker's Companion had to be Bagwell's most unusual knife; as the "original" was carried by "Sister's of Mercy" in the early part of 1800's until the turn of the century, while being popularized in the rough and tumble towns of San Francisco and New Orleans. This model came with a wild roses engraved on the guard, and a mockingbird and a butterfly was scrimshawed on a walrus handle, all engraving by Mr. E.C. Prudhomme! Priced at $125.00, Bagwell even suggested that it will make for the perfect gift for a lady who has everything........but was quick to mention that you did not have to be a "Streetwalker" to own one! Does anyone out there have any of these Bill Bagwell knives bearing the incredible talents of this now great deceased engraver? If so, I will be extremely grateful if you could get in touch and send pictures for an up-coming book. Thank you.
 
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SamW

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Don't know about others but I only check the forum 3 or 4 times a day and am busy working/playing (it is all the same to me) the rest of the time.

Prudhomme's book Gun Engraving Review has no knife photos at all. The Widow Maker seems to ring a bell but man, that is getting into the cobwebs of my mind big time. Possibly a story about those in Gun Digest in the early '70s but I have no idea how you would or could check on that.
 
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Thanks Mr. SamW...... With some luck someone out there may have bought these knives back then...... but that is along shot for sure, but you never know isn't it! Take care and many thanks for answering my post Sir. I noticed that over 120 viewers have seen the original post. That makes me feel very pleased. This is a great site !
 

Dave London

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You might try to contact Dr David Darom ,he has written several books on art knives. Good luck
Please post any photos you may find
 

dave gibson

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Dominique, This is extremely interesting, Are there any pictures available of Bagwell's other knives or any other kind of work? He sounds like someone who shares the same interests with me. ;)
 

dave gibson

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Dominique, go to Google, type in " bill bagwell hell's belle knife" , lots of info and images, I just took a quick look but I didn't see any engraving. Good luck.
 
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Hi Mr. Dave: yes, there are many pictures of Bagwell knives on the net. I have written a total of nine article on him since 1988. I like this site a lot but since I am too familiar how to proceed in all these forums-like websites I am at a loss here at times! I saw the Hell's Belle on Google but very few people are aware of the knives I am asking in this site. Perhaps only very few "old-timers" will know what I am referring too, most collectors today have no ideas what Bagwell did 25-40 years ago if not more. One thing: Why is the time wrong when someone post a thread or reply to one? It says that you posted at 9:12PM today?
 

SamW

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All the times posted show on my computer as Mountain Daylight Time so John B's post is timed at 5:21PM. I think you can go to your settings page and set whatever time zone you want the times to follow.


I checked it out...click on settings on the upper right of the forum page, scroll down and click on general settings on the lower left and then near the bottom of that page there is a place to set the time zone you want to display.
 
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Riflesmith

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One suggestion that could turn up what you're looking for, contact the curators at the Smithsonian Institution, they might very well have what you're looking for in their archives. Not everything they have is in display at any one time, however, the curators can search through their archives to ascertain if they have the specimens in storage. Just a thought.
 

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