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"Old Knives"
- Thread starter VCM3
- Start date
waynorth
Dealer / Materials Provider
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2005
- Messages
- 33,370
There are lots of horn handled ones, Tony. I thought I saw that "crosslink" texture you see in Blackwood. Serves me right for trying to see it on a monitor.
I'll see if I can blow up a scan of Blackwood.
Thanks for setting the record straight! That is a dandy all right!
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2007
- Messages
- 586
I love this thread.
This one showed up in the mail yesterday...another rare 3.5" Eureka Jack...this one made by Empire Winsted and looks like it has horn handle covers.
I have looked for one of these till my eyes have bled, then I click on this thread and theres one with Knifehead
(I was a poet and didn't know it)Shes a beaut Kerry, but what one in this thread isn't? I vote this the best thread on the internet, and thats sayin' something :thumbup:
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2005
- Messages
- 17,125
From the owner,
" I bought this knife knowing full well it did not appear to be a Sheffield made knife but because it was such a highly unusual pattern that neither I nor anyone I have shown it to since has ever seen before. It is a tight, snappy, well made knife that has the look and feel of a late 1800's - early 1900's German built knife. It is 3 3/4" long, brass lined, nickel silver " unusual " bolsters, tin shield, and bone hafted. I have seen three other knives bearing the Lion Cutlery Co. mark since purchasing this example, two of which were stamped Sheffield and the other stamp was identical except the word Sheffield was replaced by Germany. The single blade German stamped knife was hafted with bone identical to this one, both in color and surface treatment. The bolsters while odd appearing, are very comfortable in the hand while cutting and afford a very secure grip as I discovered while slicing some heavy, stiff, weathered manilla rope with it. Pocket wear is obviously a non issue with the shrouded tang ends; sort of a "double copperhead", but rounded and contoured to the sides as well. It was not uncommon for some early German built knives to have been stamped " Sheffield ", as it was apparently felt that Sheffield built knives afforded more "prestige" or better quality than did German stamped knives. This appears to be one such example. The only thing I can say with dead certainty about this knife is that it is the only one that I and many others more knowledgeable and experienced than myself have ever seen. "
" I bought this knife knowing full well it did not appear to be a Sheffield made knife but because it was such a highly unusual pattern that neither I nor anyone I have shown it to since has ever seen before. It is a tight, snappy, well made knife that has the look and feel of a late 1800's - early 1900's German built knife. It is 3 3/4" long, brass lined, nickel silver " unusual " bolsters, tin shield, and bone hafted. I have seen three other knives bearing the Lion Cutlery Co. mark since purchasing this example, two of which were stamped Sheffield and the other stamp was identical except the word Sheffield was replaced by Germany. The single blade German stamped knife was hafted with bone identical to this one, both in color and surface treatment. The bolsters while odd appearing, are very comfortable in the hand while cutting and afford a very secure grip as I discovered while slicing some heavy, stiff, weathered manilla rope with it. Pocket wear is obviously a non issue with the shrouded tang ends; sort of a "double copperhead", but rounded and contoured to the sides as well. It was not uncommon for some early German built knives to have been stamped " Sheffield ", as it was apparently felt that Sheffield built knives afforded more "prestige" or better quality than did German stamped knives. This appears to be one such example. The only thing I can say with dead certainty about this knife is that it is the only one that I and many others more knowledgeable and experienced than myself have ever seen. "
waynorth
Dealer / Materials Provider
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2005
- Messages
- 33,370
That's a real interesting pattern, Vince! Nice one!
Here's one that just arrived. A friend in the New England found it in one of his cigar boxes, and fired it off to me. I am renovating my Empire Display for the Oregon Show, and he (rightly) thought I could make use of another pen.
This one has been carried a lot and used little.
It has nice distinct swedges, and all the tangs are marked!
Here's one that just arrived. A friend in the New England found it in one of his cigar boxes, and fired it off to me. I am renovating my Empire Display for the Oregon Show, and he (rightly) thought I could make use of another pen.
This one has been carried a lot and used little.
It has nice distinct swedges, and all the tangs are marked!
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2001
- Messages
- 3,741
Yet another fine addition to the Waynorth museum.
I bet there aren't a lot of them from that era with tipped bolsters without cracks.
I bet there aren't a lot of them from that era with tipped bolsters without cracks.
Will Power
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2007
- Messages
- 33,621
Wonderful toffee colour to that bone:thumbup:
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2009
- Messages
- 2,966
Yep, that bone is beautiful!
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2004
- Messages
- 6,425
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2005
- Messages
- 17,125
Another,from my friend.
"3 1/8" closed, nickel silver flat beveled bolsters, pins and pointed oval shield, brass lined, tortoise hafted.
The scales are also beveled along their edges to match the bolsters. Extremely slim, this knife is only 3 /16" thick. The knife has been carried and sharpened, and bears some scratches and stains and has a few minor pits here and there but still retains much original finish. As is customary with most (half or full )whittlers, the main blade has a round tang while the pen is fitted with a half stop. This example dates to about the mid 1800's as can be evidenced not only by the tang stamp, but moreso by the deep struck ' rounded ' style lettering on the main blade. Later examples , even those bearing the same tang stamp, are all struck with the ' square ' style block letters we see more commonly. I uncluded a scan of the more typical blade stamp for comparison. I have only personally seen two other examples with this style bladestamp, both were highly embellished exhibition knives from around 1850 - 1860. This knife is one reason I know that gold foil was used under tortoise hafts as early as the mid 1800's."
"3 1/8" closed, nickel silver flat beveled bolsters, pins and pointed oval shield, brass lined, tortoise hafted.
The scales are also beveled along their edges to match the bolsters. Extremely slim, this knife is only 3 /16" thick. The knife has been carried and sharpened, and bears some scratches and stains and has a few minor pits here and there but still retains much original finish. As is customary with most (half or full )whittlers, the main blade has a round tang while the pen is fitted with a half stop. This example dates to about the mid 1800's as can be evidenced not only by the tang stamp, but moreso by the deep struck ' rounded ' style lettering on the main blade. Later examples , even those bearing the same tang stamp, are all struck with the ' square ' style block letters we see more commonly. I uncluded a scan of the more typical blade stamp for comparison. I have only personally seen two other examples with this style bladestamp, both were highly embellished exhibition knives from around 1850 - 1860. This knife is one reason I know that gold foil was used under tortoise hafts as early as the mid 1800's."
Will Power
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2007
- Messages
- 33,621
Incredibly slim knife, the quality!
Tortoise is my personal favourite 'luxury' scale, I rate it above Pearl or Abalone,very interesting that gold foil was used this must have been a very costly knife in its day.
Tortoise is my personal favourite 'luxury' scale, I rate it above Pearl or Abalone,very interesting that gold foil was used this must have been a very costly knife in its day.