[sauer308]

Hello all,
I was wondering about this knife that I have.
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk34/sauer308/CopyofGuns_Scopes089.jpg
I got it from my grandfather.I remember sneaking into his attic to play with it as a kid!
The cosmoline has been on it since I can remember it!

[rcmodel]

U.S. GI issue Mark 1 Trench knife.
Used in hand to hand fighting in the trenches of WWI.

They were made by L F & C (Landers Frary & Clark) which is the most common.
Also made in France and blade marked Au Lion.
Which I believe is what yours is.

Supposedly also made by O.C.L., and H.D. & S, but these are seldom seen and would be worth a lot more then an LF &C or Au Lion.

The Au Lion did not have the makers mark on the handle under the U.S. 1918.
And it's blade was polished bright.

The ones made in the U.S. had blackened blades, and the L F & C also had a blackened handle.

Value should be several hundred dollars.
That your metal scabbard appears to still have the two flat wire belt hooks still on it and that would add to the value.
Most were broken off.

On the other hand, if the Au Lion name and lion trademark stamp has been ground off the blade tang as it appears in the photo, value would be greatly reduced.

PS: DO NOT clean, polish, or sharpen it!
Doing so would take several large off the collector value.
All I would suggest you do is clean it with any common gun cleaning solvent, and re-oil or wax the blade to prevent further corrosion.

rc

[sauer308]

Thanks RC
The lion stamp is faint, but not polished.The blade is bright under the cosmoline.I do not think it has been sharpened other than the factory edge. It appears unmolested. I will not clean it. Who ever buys it will have that option!

[hso]

Please show the other side.

[rcmodel]

I have to think long & hard about selling my grandfathers WWI trench knife.

They don't make them anymore.
WWI Trench knives, or Grandfathers.

rc

[sauer308]

I will take some more photos and post them.

I already have everything I need/want from grandpap! A lifetime of memories, a love of the outdoors. a few knots on my hard head(well deserved by the way)some nice hunting"tools"
and a lot of fishing gear.The bayonets came from his brothers.He did not serve since he was critically skilled and his employer kept him from enlisting.I cannot keep everything!

[sauer308]

Here are a few more photos
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk34/sauer308/IMG_0011.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk34/sauer308/IMG_0009.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk34/sauer308/IMG_0008.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk34/sauer308/IMG_0013.jpg

[Sam Cade]

How much are you willing to part for?

In that kinda shape, with a near perfect sheath, its worth no less than $700. Maybe more depending on your local market.

Last couple I've seen at auction went over for $500 and they weren't near as groovy as the OP's example.

[GCBurner]

It's unusual to find a real one, though tons of reproductions have been cranked out over the years, some using the original molds for the knuckle duster grips, I believe. All the repros I know of had stainless steel blades, while none of the originals did. that's the easiest way to tell them apart, I think.

[sauer308]

This one is one hundred percent authentic.I have looked at a few sites and some are going for $700.00 with out the sheath! After doing some more research I found that my knife with a ridged handle is more rare than one with out. The ridges are on top of the handle.

[sauer308]

Just a heads Up
I have listed this for sale if any one is interested.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=628329