All original and in excellent condition yet with good evidence of age to include a pleasing natural patina with the expected short single age crack along the grain of each natural bovine horn grip; this rarely surviving matching set offers the strong cutler markings J. ASHMORE PHILADELPHIA with an American Eagle and U. S. on each knife blade. Listed in Houston’s knife collectors guide as being in operation 1832 – 1858, John Ashmore crafted cutting implements to include razors, utility items such as axes and hatchets and all manner of cutlery to include bowie knives. (They give Ashmore’s work their highest collectability rating.) Of most interest to American military historians will be that per Bazelon & McGuinn’s Directory of American Military Goods Dealers & Makers , delivery receipts for the Schuylkill Arsenal record numerous receipt of Ashmore’s goods to the well-known Army Quarter Master Depot. Best known today as suppliers to the Lewis & Clark Expedition the Schuylkill Arsenal was built in 1800 to function as a quartermaster facility in support of the U.S. military. The depot at Schuylkill Arsenal became a primary provider of military goods for the Civil War. Seldom surviving in any condition, even as single knife and fork pair, a complete setting of four matching pairs is worthy of special notice and we hope to place this setting as such. With this maker and US marking this set will be of special interest to enthusiasts of the Mexican War through Civil War use eras. Buy with confidence! We are pleased to offer a no questions asked three day inspection with return as purchased on direct sales! Just send us a courtesy e-mail to let us know your item will be returned per these provisions and your purchase price will be refunded accordingly. Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques!