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

That is quite a bit better than meager, Rich!:thumbsup: A four blade tuxedo with carved pearl handles and long pulls through the tangs on all four blades. It is a beautiful knife.
 
Thanks guys. IMHO Wostenholm and Rodgers made some really fine knives.
Here's another unknown maker. I think (?) late 1700's - classic 2.5" blade style, STRONG square and clean joint, makers mark (can't find it referenced), little rust, integral iron bolsters/liners, saw cut bone scales with iron pins. It may have survived because no one could open it ! I had a use padded pliers to get it open. Any thoughts welcome.



Rich
 
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Another great looking knife, Rich! Can you post a picture of the maker's mark, or at least tell us what it is?
 
Dan
Sorry I can't. Don't have a digicam anymore;never was a good picture taker. I'm not sure what the maker's mark is. I tried to compare it to those in Levine's Guide but they all sort of look the same to me as it's not a clear stamp (at least I don't think it is). I'll see if I can find it - many boxes of knives downstairs - and then try to describe it. This pic was taken when I first got the knife - many years ago - ca. 70 years of collecting.
Rich
 
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Nice examples shown from glennbad and Garry G., and it would be nice to see a picture of the William Rodgers with the blades open.

Campbellclanman, wonderful Glasgow Pellett Pat. knife. That design was patented by W. W. Pellett on 3-22-1892. While Joseph Rodgers offered a couple of folders in that style (with Pellett's Patent on the blade) your model is slightly different in form from the Rodgers models. Enclosed are some pictures including a catalog illustration from Turner, Naylor & Co. from 1910 showing a Pellett model nearly identical to yours, and possibly could be the maker.
Great old Brooksbank pruner with a fantastic blade stamp. Blade etches are nice, but they don't hold a candle to a fine old deep blade stamp.
Wonderful group of old pruners, and a neat picture of Jack capturing a picture of an elusive lambfoot knife in the wild. :)

Jack, great picture of the Watts building which I remember well. And a good illustration of a Pellett knife from the Army & Navy catalog.

danno50, Thanks, and the "NON-XLL" wording equates to "None-Excel".

Rich S, a couple of great old Sheffield examples.

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That's very interesting about those 'ears' certainly new to me.

Kind of like a thumb-stud....surely it doesn't contravene Forum rules ...;):D
 
Rich S said:
Found it. Wife reminded me of her cell phone.
Here's the best I could do. Still don't know what the symbols are.
Arrow I . R ?





Rich
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Fascinating knife, admire the shape and blade style. You seem to have real riches after a long period of collecting:thumbsup:

Could you post more pictures of other relevant knives if you have them please?

Regards, Will
 
Somehow I doubt an English gentleman would use the button as a thumbstud. More likely two handed holding in one and using the thumb and forefinger to open the blade. Just a thought - I think maybe it could have been used as a thumbstud IF the spring tension was weak enough.
Can anyone who has one answer the question?
Rich
 
Well, I think if it's very low sunk in the well and has no nick the 'ear' will be used but too small to flip open thumb stud style :D Just opening like an external nick. Very interesting item though, surprised me.
 
I've just discovered this thread and I've spent the last few days working my way through it... fascinating! What beautiful knives there are! I grew up in Sheffield in the 70s, so some time after the last of the old cutlers had disappeared, but the history was all around.
I wonder if members might have any more information or comments about this chunky old pocket knife I bought recently in Norfolk. It's a Sheffield knife, but the blades are stamped 'Crownshaw Liverpool', which was a retailer on Dale St until about 1925. Although the knife was made maybe 1880-1900? I believe the Liverpool retailer Crownshaw was William Joseph Crownshaw, which is also the name (I think) of the Crownshaw of the Sheffield firm 'Crownshaw Chapman and Co'. This firm amalgamated with Wright Brindley and Gell in 1899. Is this the same person? Did he move to Liverpool? I'm sure there are members on this thread who know far more about it than I do. Thanks for looking at my pics.
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DaveyGee said:
I've just discovered this thread and I've spent the last few days working my way through it... fascinating! What beautiful knives there are! I grew up in Sheffield in the 70s, so some time after the last of the old cutlers had disappeared, but the history was all around.
I wonder if members might have any more information or comments about this chunky old pocket knife I bought recently in Norfolk. It's a Sheffield knife, but the blades are stamped 'Crownshaw Liverpool', which was a retailer on Dale St until about 1925. Although the knife was made maybe 1880-1900? I believe the Liverpool retailer Crownshaw was William Joseph Crownshaw, which is also the name (I think) of the Crownshaw of the Sheffield firm 'Crownshaw Chapman and Co'. This firm amalgamated with Wright Brindley and Gell in 1899. Is this the same person? Did he move to Liverpool? I'm sure there are members on this thread who know far more about it than I do. Thanks for looking at my pics.
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That's a very handsome knife Davey. William Joseph Crownshaw (1840-1924) was a sawmaker, and I'm not aware of Crownshaw, Chapman, & Co ever having made knives. He left the company in 1883, and I've read that he moved to Birkenhead, though I can't confirm that for certain.

I gave Stan Shaw a nice old file of theirs, which he put to use. It's the long square file on the left. I have another photo of it somewhere, showing their attractive stamp, but it might take some finding? :rolleyes:

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Edit - Here we are :thumbsup:

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So which school did you go to?! :D :thumbsup:
 
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Thanks Jack
The bit about the the company being sawmakers really fits in, because When W J Crownshaw married in Liverpool in 1876 to Mary Thorpe, his occupation is recorded as 'sawmaker' from Sheffield. His father was a toolmaker. After he died his wife continued their Dale St cutlery shop until her death. The building finally disappeared in a bombing raid during WW2 - it was the oldest building in Liverpool (it's amazing what you can find out by googling!)
I grew up in Wadsley in Sheffield, went to Marlcliffe rd primary then Silverdale Sch 1970-75. I was in the Wadsley Scouts where, among lots of other things, we did a bit of work restoring Wortley Top Forge. I'm guessing you live in Sheffield too?
 
DaveyGee said:
Thanks Jack
The bit about the the company being sawmakers really fits in, because When W J Crownshaw married in Liverpool in 1876 to Mary Thorpe, his occupation is recorded as 'sawmaker' from Sheffield. His father was a toolmaker. After he died his wife continued their Dale St cutlery shop until her death. The building finally disappeared in a bombing raid during WW2 - it was the oldest building in Liverpool (it's amazing what you can find out by googling!)
I grew up in Wadsley in Sheffield, went to Marlcliffe rd primary then Silverdale Sch 1970-75. I was in the Wadsley Scouts where, among lots of other things, we did a bit of work restoring Wortley Top Forge. I'm guessing you live in Sheffield too?
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It sounds like you've done some solid research Davey. My dad went to Marlcliffe when it was a Grammar school, though he grew up just off Penistone Rd. I went to High Storrs, but I reckon you would have been at Silverdale with some of my pals' older brothers, as I grew up at Hunter's Bar :) That must have been interesting helping restore Wortley Top Forge, I was talking to a feller from there at a Geoff Tweedale talk on Joseph Rodgers a few years back. I did my work experience at Sheperd's Wheel in 1976, the year before I left school. I'm afraid I don't live in Sheffield anymore, but I did for most of my life :thumbsup:
 
Really small world! I was at High Storrs for 6th form so you were probably there then, although a few years younger.
I've got a couple of other knives to post up but I haven't taken pictures of them yet, so I'll do it sometime soon. Glad I joined the thread!
 
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