Original British WWII Early Third Pattern Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife with Scabbard marked ENGLAND U.S. Documents & Books It was purchased in 1987

It was purchased in 1987 directly from the artist for nearly $10

These are held between the upswept cross guard decorated with oak leaves

we jokingly called it "The Twin-breasted Cub" and when empty would sometimes spin it on the way back from China

and still has a lot of the original plating on the front which is often missing

Leather (sometimes fabric) flaps were stitched along the top edge

Original British WWII Early Third Pattern Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife with Scabbard marked ENGLAND U.S. Documents & Books It was purchased in 1987Original Item: Only One Available. This is an excellent example of an early "Third Pattern" British Fairbairn Sykes commando dagger, with a blacked brass handle and scabbard. As brass was a "strategic material," only the early examples of the third pattern have brass handles, with later war produced models having alloy handles. The handle dates production to late 1943 early 1944. The knives varied somewhat in size, and this example measures 11 5 8",