"Old Knives"

[VCM3]

Like a Bach Cello Suite in E Major

I added a few lost scans in the first post of it

 

[Gevonovich]

I added a few lost scans in the first post of it

Extraordinary skill in those shots....wow.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Vince that is a beautiful example of the Cutlers Art, one of the nicest examples I've ever seen.

I love those scales.

Quick question, if that was considered a gentleman's knife, where would he carry it, pocket, shaving kit, purse, (their version of a BOB )?

It just seems at cross purposes with the way they dressed and presented themselves, to have bulges in their pockets from a knife any thicker or bigger than a pen or half congress.

Thanks again for sharing Vince.

 

[VCM3]

Vince that is a beautiful example of the Cutlers Art, one of the nicest examples I've ever seen.

I love those scales.

Quick question, if that was considered a gentleman's knife, where would he carry it, pocket, shaving kit, purse, (their version of a BOB )?



It just seems at cross purposes with the way they dressed and presented themselves, to have bulges in their pockets from a knife any thicker or bigger than a pen or half congress.

Thanks again for sharing Vince.

Maybe in a vest pocket ?

 

[VCM3]

Vince that is a beautiful example of the Cutlers Art, one of the nicest examples I've ever seen.

I love those scales.

Quick question, if that was considered a gentleman's knife, where would he carry it, pocket, shaving kit, purse, (their version of a BOB )?

It just seems at cross purposes with the way they dressed and presented themselves, to have bulges in their pockets from a knife any thicker or bigger than a pen or half congress.

Thanks again for sharing Vince.

" The knife is only slightly if any thicker than many pens or half congress knives. It varies from 3/8" at the top, to 15/32" at it's thickest at the bottom, including the scales....... still under a half inch. Knives from this time period were much more compact than most modern knives, even with all their implements. With it's coffin styled beveled edges all around, it doesn't print as much as one might think in a front pocket either, and it only weighs in at a hair over two ounces. The knives we see today, are generally somewhat bulkier and typically much heavier than knives from this era "

Check this out..

A modern comparison to a SAK 1.3603 Spartan, a similar knife with the same number of implements. It is just a bit bulkier overall and slightly heavier as well. Mostly bulkier, as are many modern knives. Also a few others you are familiar with, for a sense of just how compact and
" rounded " these knives are while still containing as many implements as they do. Probably shown best in the image of the SAK laying stacked,under the C. Johnson (first below).

Case XX 1940 - 1964 Barlow

One more with modern knives just for a comparison
2 Small Sebenza 21's, regular and Insingo blades
William Henry T 09, T 10, and T 12 linerlocks ( no buttons, easier to close ), all in carbon fiber
And of course, the Victorinox 1.3603 Spartan

 

[VCM3]

" This one is a 3 1/2" closed Brookes & Crookes 5 blade wharncliff pattern but with a silver fruit blade as the main blade. I've never seen another a 5 blade like this with the silver main. Only the two inner liners are milled, both inside and out...... and in addition, while the springs are not worked, the inside surfaces of the springs are treated to niter blue on the two outer springs, and gold plating on the center spring. I can't get it to show well on the scan, but when you open it up and look inside it really is a play of two spectacular colors against one another. The blades aren't rusty, in fact they don't seem to be used any if at all, but have a lot of oil staining on them. The knife seems new, except for some scratches on the fruit blade. It has a real nice wharncliff and the curved pen, but with a somewhat different profile than one usually sees...... 'kinda fatter towards the tip, probably built late 20's or early 30's, but better quality than typically found during those years, more like Victorian quality. Possibly made for a special purpose, or event, or a special person. It appears like a knife that was made 50 or 60 years earlier. "

 

[VCM3]

 

[chuko]

Vince here is a similar Brooks and Crookes only this one has an Ivory 5th blade. I have since traded this one.

View attachment 353478View attachment 353479View attachment 353480View attachment 353481

 

[chuko]

Here is my other version of this design. This one has a sterling 5th blade hallmarks are Sheffield date 1919, maker is Joesph Westby. Knife is 3 1/4" I still have this one. Sorry ,but my pictures don't come close to the quality of yours Vince for up close details.
Charles

View attachment 353511View attachment 353512View attachment 353513View attachment 353514View attachment 353515

 

[bakerg2g]

Charles, What is the Ivory blade used for? I've seen them before, but I've never asked why??

Jason

 

[reader1]

separating book pages
_________________________

I stand corrected.

Thank your for the information, and for sharing these wonderful knives.

 

[chuko]

I have also seen ivory fruit knives, so maybe?
Charles

 

[Will Power]

I've also heard of them being fruit blades in the absence of silver blades. However, ivory is brittle stuff, try that on a crisp apple.... Page turners and page cutters too, but this one looks serrated, wonder why? For scraping materials? They can be gardener's blades, grafting/budding but that pattern doesn't seem to fit that job. Somebody like 'Wellington' (Mick) with his expertise in Sheffield knives might know.

 

[VCM3]

Those ivory blades were for fruit cutting.


"As seen here previously, these are turn of the century ivory fruit knives as included with many fruit and gift baskets of the day, much as disposable plastic tableware might be currently, long before the wide development and adoption of synthetic materials. Inexpensive and effective for their appointed task, they still remain useful for their original purpose as well as making excellent letter openers. They function exactly as their metal counterparts, complete with working springs, swedged blades, and nail nicks. Both examples are 3 1/2" closed."

 

[VCM3]

 

[Will Power]

Thanks for the info on the ivory blades.

I think plastic is actually (for once) preferable as a throw away item, many Elephants would doubtless agree........

 

[chuko]

The Brookes and Crookes 5th blade (ivory or ?) is not serrated. I would provide more pictures, but alas I don't own this one anymore.

Charles

 

[Planterz]

Well there's something you don't see every day.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Vince, I could sit here and reply to every knife you have put up here in the last few pages - but just WOW!

 

[mike Berkovitch]

Here is a 1930's Remington R100A stockman I got from a forum member in a trade, it is well used but got a lot of life left. Everything walk an talk great and the bone is fantastic.

Mike