Revolutionary War Soldier’s Pocketknife, found at Ft. Ticonderoga, NY

This is another interesting piece being offered; it is a Revolutionary War pocketknife, circa 1740 - 1780. It measures 5 ¾” with the remnants of the blade on the inside. It was recovered many years ago at Fort Ticonderoga, New York.

Located on Lake Champlain in northeastern New York, Fort Ticonderoga served as a key point of access to both Canada and the Hudson River Valley during the French and Indian War.

On May 10, 1775, Benedict Arnold joined Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont in a dawn attack on the fort, surprising and capturing the sleeping British garrison. Although it was a small-scale conflict, the Battle of Fort Ticonderoga was the first American victory of the Revolutionary War and would give the Continental Army much-needed artillery to be used in future battles.

There is a near identical example of this knife in the Fort Ticonderoga Museum. That one was recovered during excavations in 1915 (see pictures). There are also examples in “Collector’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution” by Neumann & Kravic (see pictures). This knife is in solid condition, no chipping or flaking and has been lightly coated for preservation.

With the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding this year, interest in the Revolutionary War and its relics is significantly increasing. This renewed enthusiasm is driving the demand for virtually all Revolutionary War artifacts, further contributing to their scarcity and rising prices.