BlackPowderMag.com Flintlock Rifles and Black Powder Guns
Neck knife and quilled sheath by Charles Wallingford and Bill Wright
Few pieces of tribal artistry are as visually captivating as the iconic neck knife of the eastern woodlands. For this year’s CLF fundraising auction, two of the nation’s top artists have teamed up to produce a truly outstanding example that’s destined to become a treasured heirloom.
Master cutler and CLA charter member Charles Wallingford hand-forged this knife from 1084 bar stock. Typical of the legendary Wallingford knives, the blade is razor sharp and sports a rich patina. The handle is crafted from dyed whitetail antler, beautifully accented with a hand-cast pewter bolster and an end cap of sterling silver.
Wallingford’s blade is accompanied by a stunning custom sheath by Bill Wright, one of the nation’s top quill and beadwork artisans. The body of the sheath is hand-crafted from brain-tanned deer hide, which was dyed using a period-correct walnut hull bath. Wright’s artistic talents are on full display on the face of the sheath, which is adorned with a breathtaking quillwork pattern inspired by the traditional tribal arts of the eastern woodlands.
To the artists, this fine donation is for a good cause. “The CLA,” explains Wright, “has been an excellent vehicle to promote the contemporary artists throughout our country who have demonstrated their love of our history. They have used various mediums to recreate the past relating to the 17th and 18th century and the CLA has brought forth these works of art and helped shine a light on those creations.”
For more information on the work of artists Charles Wallingford and Bill Wright, contact the artists directly:
Charles Wallingford: cwknives@aol.com
Bill Wright: wrightsgarden@hotmail.com
(More photos may be available when CLF’s auction page is done.)
Larry Pletcher, editor
