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

Joe, That IXL is very cool, but I'm wondering if that short round tipped blade was intended to be a pipe reamer for 2 reasons. First it seems a little to short to reach the bottom of the bowl on a pipe. And also a pipe smokers knife might have other smoking related blades besides a reamer, like a long slender bodkin for clearing the stem? It's only "Food For Thought" but perhaps because the knife has some "manicure" type blades like the scissors and nail file, that maybe the blade in question is an Ear Wax blade? SEBAGO might have an opinion on this. What do you think? Barry
 
Hi Joe (yaro,)

I could easily be wrong, but I believe that odd shaped blade might be a cuticle pusher?

Jim Taylor.
 
Neat looking Wosty there Joe :thumbup:

Jim's cuticle pusher suggestion sounds spot on, I can't see that odd shaped blade being used for anything else.

Mick
 
Barry, it did cross my mind when I bought the knife that the odd little blade had some other use other than a reamer, but for the life of me I couldn't come up with another use. The nail file and scissors should have been a giveaway. On Jim's suggestion, I just pulled the knife out and gave myself a manicure. Perfect cuticle pusher! Thank you gentlemen.

Joe
 
Although this Sheffield knife marked BROOKES & CROOKS doesn't hold a candle to some of the knives in this thread, it does hold some sentimental value to me in the way I came about finding it....The New York Tag sale scene is a very competitive one to say the least. This sale was in an Oyster Bay home built in the 1840s to 1850s & was in the same family for the entire time (4 or 5 Generations) I was lucky enough to discover the drop down staircase entrance to the attic before anyone else. Upon entering the attic I found an old sewing machine long forgotten by the family. This knife was in the back of one of the draws of that dusty old machine. It's inscribed "Henry To Emma". As you can tell from the knife I don't like to do to much cleaning. And I always look for those old machines & go through all those draws with a flash light whenever I go to an estate sale. Sadly that beautiful old Victorian house was knocked down and replaced with 3 "MacMansions".......Welcome to New York.
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Bless you son, for saving that patina from the dreaded knife Buffer!!
Purty one!!
 
Great little find Barry, I like the background story of the knife, same family for generations, the inscriptions and it's untouched condition, a little piece of history...:thumbup:

Mick
 
Mick's collection has been an inspiration. I am grateful to him for sharing it with us and setting a benchmark.:thumbup:
This knife is far from pristine condition, but has an interesting history. The MOP lobster is marked "AJ Jordan Sheffield England", with the trade mark "AAA1" on its master blade and original embossed leather case.
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Jordan's was, so far as I know, the only American-owned Sheffield cutlery. A.J.Jordan opened a hardware store in St. Louis, Missouri in 1871, became a wholesaler of German cutlery, and grew to become a large operation.
Around 1885...Jordan was to make an astute observation and momentous decision which would catapult his empire to its greatest heights. A.J. came to the firm conclusion that even the best efforts of the knife makers of Germany could not begin to compare with the zenith of quality which had been achieved by the cutlery craftsmen of Sheffield, England. A less ambitious entrepreneur would have settled for simply importing knives made in Sheffield. In fact, at first, it appears that this is exactly what he did. It was his next move, however, that would make him unique in the annals of American cutlery history. A.J. Jordan left America's shores to establish a cutlery of his own in Sheffield! He named his factory the East India Works.... Up to 120 employees were kept busy at the East India Works, skillfully crafting an immense quantity of cutlery bearing the A.J. Jordan AAA1 brand. This production was then shipped to the spacious warehouse and showrooms of the growing empire's St. Louis headquarters.... Henceforth and until the last ten years of his life...he would divide his time between England and America, maintaining a residence on Clarkson St. in Sheffield.
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-"Clay Cutlery Company and the A.J.Jordan Empire", by C.David Pierce, Knife World, November 2008.
 
Hi Berkley, ^^^ an interesting old Sheffield pattern 3 pc lobster complete with leather/pasteboard box and some great AJ Jordan information. I know that AJ Jordan made first class products, don't see to many around, thanks for showing !

A traditional Sheffield product, marked FORD & MEDLEY, SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND, this sportsman's knife, C 1900, measures 3 3/4" closed, 2 thick, chequered horn handles, crocus polished blades, steel linings, pins and bolsters, nickel silver escutcheon plate and shackle, produced by a chain of specialist workers, a forger, perhaps having a workshop attached the his home or in his back yard, having perhaps only small hearth, bellows, fuel, a stithy and hammers, a grinder who would have perhaps hired a trough at grinding wheel, a cutler that may have had his own premises, or rented some workspace....and so on.....these men and women were for the most part very lowly paid, specialist workers, each applying their own skill until the finished article emerged.

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Mick
 
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Barry,Berkley and Mick, three great knives with some fascinating background information. Thanks.
Here is a Rodgers Wharncliffe jack. Thick wedge head spring with square joint construction.Threaded NS bolsters and cocobola handles. Circa 1900-1920

Joe

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Hi Joe, that's ^^ a wonderful slim single blade jack knife, tapering backspring, cocobolo scales, lovely blade. Rodgers quality :thumbup:

Mick
 
Joe, That is a super Wharncliffe Jack...Love that Back spring! Here's another whittler. IXL with Snake Skin Stag Scales.
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Hi Barry, your Wostenholm whittler is a cracker, a popular pattern, it's in lovely condition !. I like it a lot !.

Here's another, maybe slightly later made 1920-30s I*XL G WOSTENHOLM, SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND 3 1/2" whittler, pearl scales. The box is non original (slightly later).

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Mick
 
Barry, great set of stag scales on that IXL whittler. I really like it.
Mick, another beautiful knife in mint condition. The pearl look fabulous and looks to be quite a thick set of scales. Nice.
Here is a Wostenholm Congress . Mop handles, ns bolsters and brass liners, with a long pull on the master sheepfoot blade. Circa 1900-1920.

Joe

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Joe,

Some really neat knives and posts, Thanks for sharing!

Can you give me the closed length and width of the Rogers Wharncliffe with tapered backspring? Very interesting knife.

Ken
 
ken erickson said:
Joe,

Some really neat knives and posts, Thanks for sharing!

Can you give me the closed length and width of the Rogers Wharncliffe with tapered backspring? Very interesting knife.

Ken
Click to expand...

The closed length is 3 7/8. Not sure what you wanted here, but the width of the backspring measures 2/8 at thickest to 1/8.

wagglebee said:
Joe, what is the length on the Wostenholm Congress?
Click to expand...

The closed length is 2 7/8
 
That's an excellent Brookes and Crookes 5 pc Joe, a very popular pattern around the turn of the century.

Brookes and Crookes made some amazing knives, large complex multi blades included, a high end manufacturer.

Thanks for showing.

Mick
 
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