Greetings,

Here is my latest eBay bargain, thanks once again to Levine’s Guide to Knives IV. The seller had it listed only as a “hand held bush knife” (auction # 330014073678). From reading through my Levine’s Guide on numerous occasions I recognized the blade as a “pilot’s survival machete” (pg.444). The seller didn’t know anything about the knife, so I did not find out who made the machete until I got it home. This one is marked on the left side “IMPERIAL” with “PROV. RI” underneath. The machete seems to be intact, except that it is missing the knob (or whatever) that once protruded through the slot on the right side to release the locking mechanism. It did not come to me with a sheath. Thanks for looking.


http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/hephaestus61/eBay%20auction%20items/Imperial-folding-machete-07.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/hephaestus61/eBay%20auction%20items/Imperial-folding-machete-03.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/hephaestus61/eBay%20auction%20items/Imperial-folding-machete-04.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/hephaestus61/eBay%20auction%20items/Imperial-folding-machete-05.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f24/hephaestus61/eBay%20auction%20items/Imperial-folding-machete-06.jpg

Nice find Chris! :101
Imperial made some interesting & high quality items. I have 60 some odd of their Frontier knives with the Powder Horn shield. The strange thing is that most of them were likely made by Camillus. Nonetheless they are good old knives. There were several brands that they also owned/bought and used, such as Kutmaster & Hammer Brand. I have several of them also. In fact I have a Kutmaster electrician's knife that was Marine Corps issue. I found it in a locker in Japan on my way to or from Vietnam. It is well made and has great steel.

Congrats on the find,
Dale