"Made in Sheffield" 1830-1930, A golden age ?

Yaro5 said:
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Hi Joe, thanks for adding those great pictures of your fine, made up, high quality Wostenholm carcasses, the modified liners, the riveted up pocket blade end pin and balance pin, the hollow pen blade end pin, can all be clearly seen. Wonderful things !. :cool:

Any knife with gold or silver handles that was handled in the UK will carry the British four part hall mark.

A knife with British gold or silver hall marks could still be a skeleton knife.

Mick
 
rprocter said:
Mick, thanks for the help. Were these Skeleton knives all post WW I ?
roland
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Hi Roland. Skeleton knives were popular in the late 19C, they often had ornate "art nouveau" inspired fancy gold and silver covered handles. The later ones made during 1930s onwards were poorer quality.

Mick
 
I would just like to post a few better pictures and details of this jack knife, originally shown on another thread, as it's so very unusual, it's believed to be a rare "watch repairers jack", used to open watch backs (and fronts).

Marked GEORGE WOSTENHOLM'S CELEBRATED I*XL CUTLERY 3 1/2" C 187Os-80s, this has been cleaned, but is all original, with a full blade profile, a very unusual super strong blade, snaps half open, open and closed, the tang has a large square kick, iron pins, liners and bolsters, stag scales, pistol grip handle.

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The pistol-grip handle nicely buries the blade tip.
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The knife is held like this, the blade at an angle to the thumb, comfortable to hold, and very affective
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Mick
 
Mick, exceptionally rare, and I don't recall seeing a better set of stags scales on any knife.

Joe
 
wellington said:
Here's a picture showing a recent find, another "Nautilus" (others are shown on posts 115 & 118 on pg 6), love this little fan shaped penknife, marked J.H.ANDREW & CO, LTD, SHEFFIELD (scimitar logo), 2 3/4", C1880s, wonderful mop carved scales, gilded filworked back spring.

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Mick, of all of the outstanding knives you have posted it is this Lady I keep going back and looking at !!
 
Thanks for the comments on the Wosty Jack knife Kerry and Joe :thumbup:.

You're a man of impeccable taste Jeremy , that little J H Andrew "nautilus" fan shaped penknife is one of my favourites too, a true "golden ager" :D.

Mick
 
Jigged or carved pearl seems to be another lost art. You just hardly ever see it on new production knives.
 
Here's a sportsman's knife marked on all blades FORD & MEDLEY, SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND C 1900, measuring 3 3/4" closed, iron pins, liners and bolsters. Chequered horn scales. The blades are crocus polished.

This knife is the "three thick" larger twin of one shown earlier in this thread, both of which share common parts. The 3 3/4" sportsman's/horseman's was a common Sheffield pattern, all manufacturers inc Rodgers and Wostenholm's would source parts, liners, blades, bolsters, shields, shackles etc from one of the large factors, often the only difference in the knives produced by the many firms would be the fit and finish of the knives.


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Thanks for looking..Mick
 
Mick it's truly amazing how most of these vintage knives you have are in absolute pristine condition. Whether initially purchased as a collectible or not, the previous owners knew how to store the knives so that not even a speck of oxidation has occurred. to me this is as remarkable as the quality of the knives themselves.
roland
 
rprocter said:
Mick it's truly amazing how most of these vintage knives you have are in absolute pristine condition. Whether initially purchased as a collectible or not, the previous owners knew how to store the knives so that not even a speck of oxidation has occurred. to me this is as remarkable as the quality of the knives themselves.
roland
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Hi Roland, the Ford & Medley sportsmen's, there are three shown on this thread, were taken from one of the firms showroom display cases, as such they were choice examples, top quality, kept in pristine condition. Antique mint knives are now virtually impossible to find, sadly.

Mick
 
Quote "Antique mint knives are now virtually impossible to find, sadly."

Mick, i know where to find them. They're all at your place !
roland
 
Here is a neat old Rodgers Fleam knife I've had for a while but don't think I've ever posted

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Hi Campbell, that's an ink eraser, not a fleam, its heart shaped blade is for erasing ink spots and mistakes, by scraping the surface of the paper.

A quality item... thanks for showing.


Here's a pic of a two blade fleam marked JOSEPH RODGERS & SONS, No 6 NORFOLK ST, SHEFFIELD

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Mick
 
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Hi Mick,
The FORD & MEDLEY, SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND, ( a beautifull knife, hard to believ that that stunner is over a Century old! )... ok - here we go...talk about exposing the lack of knowledge I have...but..the curved implement on the Ford & Medley...does this actually have a use?...as in a horsemans hoof scraper-or is it purely a snug fitting protective cover to ensure comfortable grip for when the knife is in use?

I also had to laugh at Rolands quip..."all the Mint ones are at your place"..
 
Duncan, that curved "cover" you refer to is a hoof pick. You use it to clear a stone, or whatever a horse might pick up, causing it to be uncomfortable and limp.
 
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