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- Dec 5, 2005
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Sorry - but the exhibition knife and the Newton above *are* barrel knives -- that's what these types of knives have been called a long time. Yes, I know about the other type of "barrel" knife - a far more recent arrival on the scene than the Sheffield barrel knives. As reference, I point to "Sheffield Exhibition Knives" pages 71, 205, and 238-239, as well as "Exhibition Knives - Joseph Rodgers & Sons - The Samuel Setian Collection" pages 226-227 -- all knives of this type are called "barrel knives" in these books. While he's a great reference, it's sometimes harmful to treat whatever BRL says as unquestionable Word of God -- while I don't know what the original Sheffield cutlers called this style of knife, I feel quite certain that they never called them "quadrangular pen knives" - that's a BRL-ism.
"The Sheffield Directory and Guide,
Containing a History of the Town…"
Printed and Published by James Blackwell, Iris Office, High Street, 1828.
List of Names Page 23.
Crawshaw James, pen, pocket, silver dessert and fruit knives, and razor manufacturer; dressing case instruments, inventor of the improved pen knife, long or patent tang lobster and quadrangular knives, &c. 39 Solly Street.
Google Books
They were called quandrangle knives at least as far back as 1828, likely before Bernard Levine was born, though I don't know that for a fact

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