"Old Knives"

Here's an old knife!
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Interesting name on the Elephant's tooth handle.
Who can tell me how old it is??
 
Hah. Certainly pre 1952. :) That's as close as I can get though.

Looks like a Joseph Rogers stamp, the G/R would refer to George IV - but it's missing a lot of the usual marks, to my eye.
 
Interesting old knife, Charlie. I'm curious, what might be the purpose or use of one large, butter-knife-like blade in a folding knife?

Some googling leads me to believe that Stuart Corbett D.D. was Archdeacon of York, starting in 1837

https://books.google.com/books?id=H...&q=stuart corbett dd ardeacon of york&f=false

Assuming that's the guy, here's a prayer book written by the same Stuart Corbett, D.D., published in 1827.

A Few Forms of Morning and Evening Prayer, Adapted for Private and Family Devotion
 
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Hah. Certainly pre 1952. :) That's as close as I can get though.

Looks like a Joseph Rogers stamp, the G/R would refer to George IV - but it's missing a lot of the usual marks, to my eye.

Doing a little more Googling around, it seems like you could be on the right track with George IV. Going down some internet rabbit hole (that I've now gotten away from and lost), I read that Rodgers got their royal warrant from George IV in 1821 (I'll see if I can find where I saw that again). There are some similar stamps shown if you scroll through some of the images here, though none exactly the same (the most similar all say SILVER*STEEL underneath RODGERS, and are all on razors). That might put the knife between 1821 and 1830, which would coincide with Stuart Corbett, D.D., who (in 1827, at least) was Rector of Scrayingham and Kirk Bramwith (beginning, according to his obituary, in 1816 for the former and 1804 for the latter) before being appointed Archdeacon of York in 1837.
 
Hmmm! George IV reigned from 1820 to 1830.
So far the dates make sense. Hats off to you Giants of Google!!!
Never thought this info would come out so interestingly!!
 
Charlie no need for apologies - you showed the size comparison.
Just me thinking aloud.

Possibly the first Marmalade knife :D
 
Agreed. Absolute fantastic knives being posted.

Paul my friend - two wicked beauties.
That Ulster HJ!!!!!! :eek: I don't know why those HJs don't come up in my searches :confused: but as mentioned the Bone is just drop dead gorgeous- what a beautiful knife - and agreed - that Scout would have to be Schrade all day long my friend.

Beautiful

Nice repair job, r8shell, and some wonderful recent additions by North Shore, galvanic, and Paul.

Rachel very exceptional repair on that folder bone handle :thumbup:

Beautiful folders Northshore, Mike and Paul! Those Terrier knives are scarce and very hard to find! I agree with Paul oil it up but resist the urge to apply any abrasives to the blades. The Pearl looks great. I believe these were produced in the early 20th century--read that like around 1910 or so.

Paul those folders are just exceptional! The bone jigging is fantastic on both and I might add very nicely photographed. I agree with you and Duncan that it definitely is Schrade looking that Buffalo Scout. Those both would put a grin on my face that would be hard to lose whenever I looked at or handled them:D

Lloyd

Nice Terrier, North Shore! With uber patina!!

Two great knives, Paul! Great, mature Utica, and a super Buffalo! First Buffalo Scout I have seen; in fact I have only seen a few Buffalos period.
Reminds me of home!!:D

Thank you, Duncan, Neal, Lloyd and Charlie, much appreciated:thumbup:
 
The more I think about the timeframe, and the lack of point on the blade, makes me think it might be a paper knife. Used for cutting the pages apart of newly printed books (which were sold untrimmed). Those are usually bone or other smooth material, not metal - but metal was not unheard of, and the scale and form would make sense.

Certainly, the good Archdeacon would have been a prolific reader, as we know he was a writer. This would be a fine gift for such a man.

https://regencyredingote.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/a-paper-knife-was-not-a-letter-opener/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_knife
 
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Here's an old knife!
Ivory%20big%201_zpsbwbrwguq.jpg

Ivory%20big%203_zpsjo9awz2u.jpg

Ivory%20big%204_zps033vdfjt.jpg

Ivory%20big%202_zpsldwsvrdn.jpg

Interesting name on the Elephant's tooth handle.
Who can tell me how old it is??

Great old knife, Waynorth.
I believe you guys have the dates pretty close and I would bet it was part of a folding traveling set for eating, although it could have been used as a palette knife as Duncan suggested. The Archdeacon may have been a closet artist as well??? :)
Folding knives for dining and folding palette knives were essentially the same model in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Palette knives for applying paint were used by esteemed painters such as Francisco Jose de Goya in the early 1800s, and folding knives for eating date much earlier.
Enclosed is a picture of a typical Sheffield folding knife for eating (and ruler for size), along with a picture of a palette knife (knives) from Taylor. Nearly the same models with different intended uses...



 
A WONDERFUL knife with mystery origin Charlie.

Great research Neal. Love to learn something new everyday:thumbup:

Great instincts Duncan:thumbup:
 
Liam, Barrett, Duncan, Neal and Paul, thank you for your contributions and comments!
It is wonderful that Stuart Corbett D.D.'s knife has some story to tell! The best part of knife collecting!
 
Liam, Barrett, Duncan, Neal and Paul, thank you for your contributions and comments!
It is wonderful that Stuart Corbett D.D.'s knife has some story to tell! The best part of knife collecting!

Does the blade taper thinner towards the tip making it a bit flexible? Most of the folding palette knives from the early 20th century had flexible blades while the blades in folders for eating were fairly rigid.
Finding details and information for any knife earlier than the late 1800s is usually more than a challenge. :)
 
The more I think about the timeframe, and the lack of point on the blade, makes me think it might be a paper knife. Used for cutting the pages apart of newly printed books (which were sold untrimmed). Those are usually bone or other smooth material, not metal - but metal was not unheard of, and the scale and form would make sense.

Certainly, the good Archdeacon would have been a prolific reader, as we know he was a writer. This would be a fine gift for such a man.

https://regencyredingote.wordpress.com/2013/05/24/a-paper-knife-was-not-a-letter-opener/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_knife

I don't know if this is an example of a paper knife or not, but your post reminds me of watching my brother sitting at a table reading my grandfather's books with a big kitchen knife to cut the pages as he went. :)
 
I agree with Herder. I think it was part of an eating set, probably originally boxed with a matching folding fork.
 
Does the blade taper thinner towards the tip making it a bit flexible? Most of the folding palette knives from the early 20th century had flexible blades while the blades in folders for eating were fairly rigid.
Finding details and information for any knife earlier than the late 1800s is usually more than a challenge. :)

The blade is quite rigid, unlike most palette knives.
 
Here's an old knife!
Ivory%20big%202_zpsldwsvrdn.jpg

Interesting name on the Elephant's tooth handle.
Who can tell me how old it is??
If only this knife could talk! Great old knife and great research everyone. I read it all and really enjoyed it. I collect old books and often need to cut the pages apart. I usually do it with an old Empire I use for reading and that task. Your knife would be wonderful for cutting leaves, mixing oil paints, or spreading marmalade and cream cheese :D:thumbup:
 
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