Bar Shields are Simply Beautiful

The one in the Library of Congress does have ivory scales. The one I posted is pearl. It could be a complete fraud, though I suspect it really was one of Lincoln's knives. If you look closely, one of the blades was broken. He probably got the ivory one as a replacement, and its history got a bit embellished over time.
 
The one in the Library of Congress does have ivory scales. The one I posted is pearl. It could be a complete fraud, though I suspect it really was one of Lincoln's knives. If you look closely, one of the blades was broken. He probably got the ivory one as a replacement, and its history got a bit embellished over time.
Is Lincoln's knife in the Library of Congress elephant ivory? It appears to be because of the creamy color, but I would have thought that whale ivory would have been more common in Lincoln's time and that usually more white with gray tones.
 
Here's a pair of Sheffield knives with Off Center Bar Shields. The large one is stamped "W crown R MARSDEN SUPERIOR CUTLERY" Lock Back folding dirk with horn handles, 5 1/2" closed. The small one is stamped BROOKS & CROOKS SHEFFIELD. Tortoise shell handles, 2 7/8" closed. Both are vintage 1860s to 1880s
MARSDEN-B%26CROOKS.jpg
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Barry, if I didn't know better, I'd say that Marsden Superior's main blade is sharpened both sides!!

A great collection of knife pix everyone! I am enjoying this thread immensely!
 
Is Lincoln's knife in the Library of Congress elephant ivory?... I would have thought that whale ivory would have been more common in Lincoln's time
Ivory store room at Joseph Rodgers, Sheffield:
2lt1s86.jpg

Both Lincoln knives are Sheffield made, though neither is by Rodgers. By 1860, whaling was an American industry; African and Indian ivory went to England.
 
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Hope this qualifies!
Fishing version of an AH!!
EmpireFLB.jpg
 
That's raising the bar Gus!

Thanks for the additional picture Berkley.

Here's a slightly bent bar shield on a Henckels swing guard:

swing009.jpg
 
Nice stagliciousness Mike!
Another near-bar;
EmpireEtchedJack.jpg
 
Is Lincoln's knife in the Library of Congress elephant ivory? It appears to be because of the creamy color, but I would have thought that whale ivory would have been more common in Lincoln's time and that usually more white with gray tones.

The ivory would have been elephant ivory - the knife was "made" by the William Gilchrist company of New York City -- however it's extremely likely that Lincoln's knife was Sheffield made and just branded for William Gilchrist. Enormous quantities of elephant ivory came to Sheffield from India and Africa -- Joseph Rodgers alone in 1878 used 2,561 tusks averaging 22 pounds each (over 28 tons) and kept a permanent minimum on hand stock of about 15 tons of ivory. World trade was very much well on the way back then -- indeed, some have said of the British Empire back then that it was not a Monarchy but a Theocracy - and trade was God.
 
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We've seen a nice Ohta collection! Here is further proof that he uses bars most of the time, if not always!?
OhtaStag.jpg
 
I saw this one, and thought I should post it also! It has Tony Bose's name written on it for some reason??
EmpireSawTrapper.jpg
 
Empire and Ohta used the same song book!!
EmpireSabersHoriz.jpg
 
Here's a pic of my Ohtas. As was mentioned already he seems to use bar shields exclusively:

IMG_1428.jpg

Great set of Ohtas. :thumbup:

I guarantee he does not restrict himself to bar shields. I got a couple acorn shields from him on mine.
 
This thread turning out to be one amazing showcase. Great knives everyone.

Posted before, but here's a little Remington jack that fits the bill.

RemJack03.jpg
 
I think we all agree that Chuck the Kanuck has the best knife collection on the planet
 
Sorry for the bad picture. Camera is broken.

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Remington
Simon's Saw and Steel Co
Ohta
Bose/Case Collab
T. Bose
 
I think we all agree that Chuck the Kanuck has the best knife collection on the planet


We sure are lucky to have him here. I have learned so much from him and his knives that I need an extra container to hold the knowledge.
 
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