Knives of Sheffield's Millenium Galleries - More pics added from Post 38

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On that happy day when the museum staff acts properly, if they insist on giving you a bag of knives to share with your overseas colleagues, I call dibs on the stag folder no 12 next to the Featherstone and Durber.
But such an embarrassment of riches. Wish I could work there.
 
Jack,
thank you so much for the thread, pictures, stories, and so on.
A while back, I told Andi that sooner or later we should plan a BF Traditional EuroMeeting, to meet in person, share some beers and stories and so on. I had thought of London as a possible place for it...but now, after these pictures and thread, I'm beginning to think that Sheffield, for its place in the history of cutlery, would be an even better place for it, and give us the chance to visit this museum as well :)

Fausto
:cool:
 
Thank you! Opening up the pages of knowledge for us, is a much appreciated task.

I was really struck by the pictures from inside the Turner display cabinet. Here is a vista of something vanished but something that inspires the connoisseur and collector of Traditional knives: Sheffield at its probable zenith. What fabulous knives, you can see the quality and imagine even more from your shots. Do you know if they are kept in a controlled environment? Particular humidity to stop shrink etc? Do they take them out regularly for restoration or light cleaning? I assume they are kept away from too much daylight ? Just imagine if this museum has other knives it can't or won't display. Such a waste as they are significant examples of England's knife-making prowess and are important in the history of knife patterns.

Those blue discs by the knives, are they prices? Seven&six i see in the old money or?

Very worthwhile trip.

Regards, Will
 
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scrteened porch said:
On that happy day when the museum staff acts properly, if they insist on giving you a bag of knives to share with your overseas colleagues, I call dibs on the stag folder no 12 next to the Featherstone and Durber.
But such an embarrassment of riches. Wish I could work there.
Click to expand...

Good choice :thumbup: :) We can all live in hope! :D (I'm not sure how the Featherstone & Durber got in there.)

quattromori said:
Jack,
thank you so much for the thread, pictures, stories, and so on.
A while back, I told Andi that sooner or later we should plan a BF Traditional EuroMeeting, to meet in person, share some beers and stories and so on. I had thought of London as a possible place for it...but now, after these pictures and thread, I'm beginning to think that Sheffield, for its place in the history of cutlery, would be an even better place for it, and give us the chance to visit this museum as well :)

Fausto
:cool:
Click to expand...

That would be fantastic Fausto :)

willgoy said:
Thank you! Opening up the pages of knowledge for us, is a much appreciated task.

I was really struck by the pictures from inside the Turner display cabinet. Here is a vista of something vanished but something that inspires the connoisseur and collector of Traditional knives: Sheffield at its probable zenith. What fabulous knives, you can see the quality and imagine even more from your shots. Do you know if they are kept in a controlled environment? Particular humidity to stop shrink etc? Do they take them out regularly for restoration or light cleaning? I assume they are kept away from too much daylight ? Just imagine if this museum has other knives it can't or won't display. Such a waste as they are significant examples of England's knife-making prowess and are important in the history of knife patterns.

Those blue discs by the knives, are they prices? Seven&six i see in the old money or?

Very worthwhile trip.

Regards, Will
Click to expand...

That display case has been in various Sheffield museums since I was a boy Will. Today it's kept away from daylight, but I really don't know if it gets opened for cleaning, it doesn't really look like it to me. I remember seeing other similiar cases in other museums and in cutlery shops, in fact there was one on display in a shop in Leeds until a year or two ago.

Those are indeed prices! 7/6 is 35.5 pence in today's English money (with 100 pence to £ Sterling)!

wagglebee said:
Thanks for the great pictures Jack!
Click to expand...

I really wish they were better, and that I could do those lovely knives justice.

Where's Charlie (Waynorth) by the way?! I hope he's OK, I thought he'd be drooling over those knives! :D
 
Jack would I be wrong in thinking of Sheffield as England's version of Case or perhaps Camillus albeit an older company?
 
wow. great thread. the 1882 bladed knife freaked me out a little though. they should use it on dr. who. lol
 
Stunning post...........................

Thank you soooooooooooooooooooooo much for sharing this

Syn
 
Jack,

I just stumbled over this, thinking it the same as an earlier set of your Sheffield photos.

This is a true treasure, giving a different view of some items I have seen in the Sheffield books, and many items I have never seen before. I will happily spend many hours of joy with these wonderful great photos.

I am stunned at your ability to capture the essence through glass, inhospitable lighting and other obstructive conditions.

Mike H.
 
Thank you very much Syn and Mike. Many of the knives are not only behind glass, but also behind a thick layer of perspex inside the glass cabinet, so they're never going to be easy to photograph, particularly combined with relatively low lighting and strong overhead spot-lighting. However, if I get a chance to take better photos, with a better camera, I'll certainly do so, and bearing in mind the enthusiastic response, I'll do my best to get some more pictures from other Sheffield museums. Incidentally, if anyone is interested in a particular piece, one of the manufacturers, or perhaps an item of Sheffield history, let me know, and I'll be happy to try and get some more pics for you.

Jack
 
Bill2000, I have a set of 14 Sheffield (mainly knife related) postcards for you :) E-mail me an address and I'll get them in the post to you :thumbup:

Best wishes

Jack

Edit - Sent PM to Bill at the same time as posting this, not had a reply yet. Going to give it until 18/12/12, and then the postcards will go elsewhere.

Edit - 18/12/12 - Sorry Bill, not had a reply from you. Hope you're OK, but I'm afraid you've missed the postcards.
 
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How did I miss this wonderful thread!
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, Jack!
I feel like I have seen a species evolution, viewing all that ancient cutlery!!
 
waynorth said:
How did I miss this wonderful thread!
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, Jack!
I feel like I have seen a species evolution, viewing all that ancient cutlery!!
Click to expand...

Glad you arrived in the end Charlie, I actually found myself worrying about you! Sounds like you've been busy though :thumbup:
 
I was in Sheffield’s Millenium Galleries the other day, and noticed that there have been some minor changes in the knife displays since I was last there. There are now even less knives on display, but the because of some of the display cases being moved, the lighting on the Thomas Turner showcase was a little better than it had been before. I decided to take some pics, along with photos of the other knives still on display. Details for the knives (if available) should be in my original post. I’ll post pics as several comments.

Jack

















 
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