Sheffield Museum Knives

[Jack Black]

As one might expect, considering its history, Sheffield Museums hold a vast collection of cutlery. A knife collector making a visit to one of the city’s many museums would, however, be surprised, and in some cases even shocked, by the small numbers of Sheffield-made knives on display. The metalwork gallery of the central Sheffield museum has just been extensively refurbished, and while it looks very nice, it now displays only a fraction of the pitiful number of Sheffield-made knives it did before. It’s a very sad state of affairs.

For those who may never get the chance to visit the city, or those who do and are left disappointed, I had a trawl through the Sheffield Museums online gallery, which at least contains more knives than the museums themselves, if only in virtual form.

The text is taken from the Sheffield Museums site. My apologies for the vague pattern descriptions and the repetitive nature of some of the content.

Letter opener penknife
Date Made/Found: circa 1836
Manufacturer: Joseph Rodgers & Sons ,
Material and Medium: steel Ivory
Dimensions: Overall: 54 x 259mm (2 1/8 x 10 3/16in.) Overall: 25 x 214mm (1 x 8 7/16in.) (closed)

This is a penknife and letter opener made from ivory and engraved and inked with a race scene commemorating the famous 1836 Doncaster St Leger horse race. The three leading horses in the race are individually named as Elis, Scroggins, and Bees Wing. The scene is captioned 'Won by Lord Lichfield's Elis'. Elis was the first horse to be transported in a horsebox instead of being walked from one race meeting to another. He travelled from Goodwood in Sussex to Doncaster in Yorkshire. The transport procedure was kept secret for as long as possible to allow insiders to back Elis with longer odds, because it was generally believed he would not make it in time for the race.

Penknife
Date Made/Found: circa 1770
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Horn
Dimensions: Overall: 13 x 115mm (1/2 x 4 1/2in.) (open)

This pen knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a single thin blade for the effective shaping and slitting of quill pen nibs. The scales (handle) are made of pressed animal horn. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Penknife
Date Made/Found: early 20th Century
Manufacturer: Southern & Richardson
Material and Medium: Ivory steel
Dimensions: Overall (closed): 9 x 42mm (3/8 x 1 5/8in.)

A steel folding pen knife with an ivory scale handle in the shape of a leg made by Southern & Richardson in the early 1900s. Novelty knives with eye-catching handles became popular in the 1800s and the leg-shaped style was produced by several manufacturers, as were other motifs such as shoes, fish or animals. The blade is characteristically thin and was originally designed for shaping the nibs of quill pens. The firm reached its peak in the 1880s and 1890s with an output of table, pen and pocket knives as well as butchers', farriers' and Bowie knives, razors and scissors. The corporate mark, granted in 1880, was a birds nest containing three eggs: hence the firm's slogan 'Nest Cutlery'.

Penknife
Date Made/Found: around 1840
Manufacturer: Joseph Rodgers & Sons
Material and Medium: steel, brass, ivory

This multi bladed penknife was made by the firm Joseph Rodgers & Sons of Sheffield, around 1840. Joseph Rodgers & Sons was one of the largest and most prolific cutlery manufacturers based in the city. The company's famous star and Maltese cross mark was registered with the Company of Cutlers in 1764. By the end of the 1700s, the firm had established a factory on Norfolk Street. By the turn of the 1800s Joseph Rodgers & Sons was producing a vast range of goods. This included their famous penknives and pocket knives, as well as scissors, table cutlery and razors. In 1887 the firm began to manufacture its own high quality crucible and shear steel using iron imported from Sweden. This penknife has a total of sixteen short, folding blades. They are slender with pointed ends. Each blade is marked 'RODGERS'. Before the introduction of steel pen nibs, quills made from feathers were used for writing. Penknives were used to cut the quill to provide a perfect point for writing. The end of the feather was first cut to a point. A small, vertical nick was then cut into the very tip of the quill to enable the ink to flow evenly onto the page. Joseph Rodgers & Sons later developed an automatic quill cutter to make the preparation of quill pens simpler. These were made from brass and had a spring action. The end of the quill was placed into the cutter and the lever pressed down to cut it to shape in one step. However, a penknife was still required to cut the vertical slit into the point of the quill. This penknife is very elaborate and would have been used as a decorative as well as functional item. It would have been used at a desk alongside a wide range of writing equipment including an inkstand for storing ink, tapersticks and wax for sealing letters, and a box for holding stamps. The blades of this penknife are made from steel and the scales are made from ivory. The knife is unusual as it has four separate ivory scales, giving it a cylindrical shape. Most knives and razors have only two scales, one on each side of the handle. Joseph Rodgers & Sons used expensive imported materials for the manufacture of decorative hafts and scales. They bought mother of pearl from the Philippines, stag and buffalo horn from India and tropical woods from the West Indies. The firm also used vast quantities of ivory (elephant tusks) that was bought in bulk from traders in London, Antwerp and Liverpool. It is said that four or five men were employed by the firm to continuously saw ivory into small pieces for making handles.

Penknife
Date Made/Found: 1800s
Maker: Unknown
Material and Medium: Steel, ivory
Dimensions: Overall (With top blade attached): 20 × 127mm (13/16 × 5in.)

This object is a combined penknife, stamp seal and perpetual calendar. The blades are made from steel and the body of the object is made from ivory. It was made in England in the 1800s. The object would sit on a desk as part of a wide range of writing equipment. The ivory lid would be unscrewed to reveal three penknife blades stored inside. One of the blades would be removed and the lid screwed back onto the ivory holder. The blade could then be screwed into the top of the holder ready for use. The word 'penknife' is now used as a general term to describe a small folding knife. However, it originally was used to describe a type of knife with a very specific function. Penknives were used for cutting the end of a quill (usually a goose feather) to create a pen. The blades were delicate, sharp and perfectly designed for their intended use. While writing, the end of the quill was continuously dipped into a small pot of ink. A powder called pounce would be sprinkled on the page after writing to help the ink dry and prevent smudging. Pounce was made from powdered pumice or cuttlefish bone. Quill pens were used for writing before the advent of steel pen nibs in the early 1800s. However, the first steel nibs were inflexible and susceptible to corrosion, and many people continued to use quills. Automatic quill cutters began to be used around the 1830s, which simplified the complicated process of making quill pens. The stamp seal is located on the very bottom of the object. It would be pressed onto a wafer (flour mixed with gum and red dye) or melted wax to seal letters closed. The dates of the month (from one to thirty one) are engraved around the body of the object. Beneath these numbers is a rotating band engraved with the days of the week. Each month, this band could be adjusted to match up the dates and days, providing the owner with a perpetual calendar. Letter writing was an important pastime among the wealthy in the 1700s and 1800s. As the only means of long distance communication, letters were used to make travel and social arrangements and to record visits and journeys. Writing was a preferred pastime of the lady of the house who was not required to spend time on domestic chores. Letters would often be read aloud to family or guests. Strict rules of etiquette had to be followed when writing letters. It was polite to acknowledge any letter received and to comment on its content, as well as to bestow sentiments of affection on the person to whom you were writing.

Bowie Knife
Date Made/Found: Mid 1800s
Manufacturer: W & S Butcher
Material and Medium: Steel, nickel, bone
Dimensions: Overall: 65 x 317mm (2 9/16 x 12 1/2in.)

This Bowie knife is made of bone scales with an etched steel blade depicting a decorative scroll design, the American eagle and motto, a buffalo hunt and the words: “CELEBRATED AMERICAN BOWIE KNIFE THE UNITED STATES THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE PROTECTED BY HER NOBLE AND BRAVE VOLUNTEERS”. It was made in Sheffield in the mid 19th century for the American market by W & S Butcher. This style of knife is named after James Bowie, who famously fought and won a duel with his hunting knife in frontier Mississippi in 1827. Sheffield cutlers were quick to respond to the demand which followed in the wake of the legend and soon dominated the trade in this style of knife.

(Lots more to come, just having problems with the site)

 

[Jack Black]

Bowie knife
Material and Medium: steel Antler

This style of knife is named after James Bowie, who famously fought and won a duel with his hunting knife in frontier Mississippi in 1827. Sheffield cutlers were quick to respond to the demand which followed in the wake of the legend and soon dominated the American trade in this style of knife. It became fashionable to inscribe or etch fighting knife blades with impressive slogans such as ‘Never draw me without reason nor sheath me without honour’, but this knife appears to misquote the phrase. Scratched roughly onto the blade are a scroll pattern and the words ‘Never draw me without reason nor sheath me without dishoner’. It is not clear whether the inscriber misremembered the quote or changed the words deliberately.

Bowie Knife
Material and Medium: steel Horn
Dimensions: Overall: 45 x 250mm (1 3/4 x 9 13/16in.)

This style of knife is named after James Bowie, who famously fought and won a duel with his hunting knife in frontier Mississippi in 1827. Sheffield cutlers were quick to respond to the demand which followed in the wake of the legend and soon dominated the American trade in this style of knife. The blade has been etched with the words: ‘Never draw me without reason nor sheath me without honour’. It became fashionable to inscribe or etch fighting knife blades with impressive slogans, and this was particularly true for items meant for the American market. This phrase is a translation of a motto that was popular on Spanish swords. The maker of the knife is unknown.

Bowie knife and sheath
Date Made/Found: 2007
Maker: Reg Cooper

Material and Medium: carbon steel, brass, nickel, stag, leather

This object is a custom Bowie knife with accompanying sheath. It was made by Reg Cooper and was commissioned as part of the DCF funded project, Living Metal (2006-2008). The knife has been entirely handcrafted and is of an exceptional quality; this warrants its status as a 'custom' knife. The scales that together form the handle are made from Sambar stag. This is imported into Britain from India. Sambar stag is quite difficult to acquire, as export embargos are often put into place to preserve and protect the deer population. The blade is made from carbon steel which, unlike stainless steel, can be ground to a very sharp cutting edge. The guard (which protects the user's hand), scale linings and the cap at the end of the handle are made from brass. The pins that hold the scales to the tang are made from nickel wire. From start to completion, each part of the knife was made by hand. It took a total of fifteen hours to complete. The blank blade was first marked out onto a bar of carbon steel and cut out. This created the basic shape of the blade and tang (the piece of steel onto which the scales will eventually be attached to form the handle). The blade was then ground and glazed by Brian Alcock, who works in Sheffield as a grinder. In simple terms, grinding the blade refines the blade's shape and creates the cutting edge. The glazing process gives the blade its initial, rough polish. At this stage, Reg then begins the process of polishing the blade, which takes at least an hour. Polishing will remove any marks and blemishes from the surface of the blade and gives it a mirror-like finish. The process requires a piece of equipment called a double headed spindle and a range of polishing discs. A hard, felt disc dressed with a fine polishing compound is used first. The disc is then changed for a much softer one made from sisal (a natural fibre often used to make rope), called a dolly mop, and the process continues. Finally, a very soft dolly made from calico is used to give a final polish. Throughout the process of polishing the blade, Reg continually checks it for any flaws or imperfections. The next process was to create an ornate, scalloped edge on the back of the blade (the unsharpened edge) and on the guard. Reg sees this as a trademark of his work, as every cutler does it differently. On the blade, this pattern is called a 'fancy back'. Reg used a very small grindstone disc to create the large swags and a small rubber disc to create smaller, triangular grooves. Reg first created the fancy back pattern on one side of the back of the blade. The pattern was then replicated on the other side to ensure that they are perfectly symmetrical. The brass handle guard was decorated in the same way. Brass gets hot very quickly when it is worked in this way and Reg has to frequently run the guard under cold water to avoid burning his fingers. The back of the blade and guard were polished again to get rid of any marks created during this process. The visible edges of the tang (onto which the scales will later be pinned to form the handle) were also given a decorative finish, called a 'worked back'. This was achieved using a saw to create zigzag lines and a needle file to form small, triangular marks. Attaching the guard… "You don't want a loose guard, or it sounds like a baby's rattle. You want it tight". The next stage was to fit the tightly-fitting guard. The blade was covered to protect it and secured in a vice in a vertical position, with the tang pointing upwards. The guard was slotted onto the end of the tang. Long strips of brass were placed on top of the guard, one each side of the tang. The brass strips were then struck with a hammer to knock the guard into place. Next, Reg fitted the brass scale linings to the tang. The linings are visible at the edge of the handle, which gives an attractive finish. They also help to fill in any tiny gaps that might otherwise occur between the tang and scales due to natural bends and curves in the stag. The scales were then fitted and pinned onto the tang to hold them in place. This process requires intense concentration to ensure that they are a perfect fit. The end cap is put on last of all and the edges of the handle polished. Reg's thoughts on the Bowie knife… "I enjoy doing this work…It's when you've finished that you get the most enjoyment, but I'm my own worst critic".

 

[Jack Black]

Carving knife and fork
Date Made/Found: around 1770
Material and Medium: cast steel, silver, brass, horn

This set of a folding carving knife and fork was made around 1770. The blade of the carving knife is struck with the maker's mark 'L.G.' and the words 'CAST STEEL'. This mark was not registered with the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire and does not appear in the records of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers of London. If the blade was made in London, we would expect it to be struck with the city mark of a dagger. This increases the likelihood of the objects originating from Sheffield, but we cannot be certain of this. An article dating to 1856 in the 'Journal of the Society of Arts' describes the process of cutlery manufacture in Sheffield. While praising the artisans producing the highest quality hand forged items, it also warns against consumers being duped into buying inferior products. One of these warnings is made against articles of low quality cast or 'run' steel. These were objects made using moulds rather than being shaped by forging and were therefore much cheaper. During the forging process, an object is heated and hammered repeatedly, to produce the desired strength and flexibility. Cast knives are brittle as they have a high carbon content and are generally of a lower quality than hand forged steel cutlery. High quality Huntsman crucible steel could be used for making cast objects. However, it was very expensive and not often used for table cutlery at the time these objects were made. It was usually used for making tools. The knife and fork of this carving set can be folded. This suggests they may have been intended for use when travelling. Silver inserts on the scales are engraved with the owner's name, 'T. CLARKE'. When unfolded, they are very large and impressive pieces. It is possible that they were taken on Grand Tours, or were used by an officer away on duty. These objects form part of the Bill Brown Collection. Supported by The Art Fund, Heritage Lottery Fund and the Friends of Sheffield Galleries & Museums Trust. Information from the marks registry courtesy of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire.

Carving knife, fork and sheath
Date Made/Found: around 1667
Material and Medium: iron and steel, silver, agate, leather

This carving knife and fork was manufactured by John Wharrey of London, around 1667. The blade is marked with the symbol of a dagger, the mark of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers of London. The maker's mark of a heart and dart is also present. John Wharrey became a freeman after completing his apprenticeship in 1661. After registering as a Freeman, cutlers were able to register their own mark and could also take on apprentices. Records indicate that John Wharrey registered his mark on the 11th July 1667. The carving knife has a parallel blade and the fork has two steel tines. Each has a haft made from agate, which is attached to the blade and fork with a through tang. This is a rod of metal that runs from the end of blade or fork through a hole down the length of the haft. The end is secured with a decorative cap, made from silver. The ferrules, which cover the join between the fork or blade and the haft, are also made from silver. The leather sheath is decorated with impressions of thistles and has a silver mount. Agate is a hard mineral often used for the hafting of the highest quality cutlery and flatware. It has a translucent appearance with bands of different colour than running through the mineral. These are usually shades of grey and white but green, brown, red and black colours also occur. The earliest carving forks used in England date to the 1600s. As in this example, they often have quite short tines and were used to hold down the meat securely while it was being carved. Carving forks with long tines were often used in Europe, as meat was often carved in the air. The joint or bird was held aloft with the fork and carved from this position. This carving set is very ornate and would have certainly been a costly purchase. One explanation for this investment is that the act of carving was incredibly important at this time. The diarist Samuel Pepys illustrates the social significance of carving in the 1600s. An entry from 1665 reveals how carving could be used as a gesture of hospitality. Here, Pepys describes a dinner invitation at the home of Lord Sandwich. "At dinner he did use with me the greatest solemnity in the world, in carving for me, and nobody else" The host carving for his guest was clearly seen as a serious mark of respect. In contrast, Pepys describes a rather different encounter during a family dinner, "…the very sight of my aunt's hands and greasy manner of carving, did almost turn my stomach". Carving has long been an important part of formal dining. Learning to carve was a crucial social skill for young men within wealthy circles in the late 1600s. The importance of carving is evident by a number of etiquette manuals dedicated to the practice from around this time. The social significance of carving at important meals continues today.

Dagger
Date Made/Found: circa 1900
Manufacturer: George Wostenholm & Son
Material and Medium: steel Bronze Leather
Dimensions: Overall: 70 x 275mm (2 3/4 x 10 13/16in.)

This distinctive dagger features an ornamental handle made of cast bronze in the form of a Native American warrior. The figure has its hair in a top knot and is carrying a bow and a quiver of arrows. The sheath is also of bronze with an ornate relief design of warriors and symbols while the dagger’s crossguard (or quillion as it is sometimes known) features bears’ heads at each end. The blade is made of steel and its edges have not been ground, indicating that this knife was made for ceremonial or ornamental use. It was made around 1900 and is a second edition of a style first made by Wostenholm 40 years earlier.

Desk Knife & Sheath
Date Made/Found: circa 1915
Manufacturer: Thomas Turner & Co
Material and Medium: steel plastic Cardboard Paper
Dimensions: Overall: 15 x 159mm (9/16 x 6 1/4in.) (knife) Overall: 20 x 90mm (13/16 x 3 9/16in.) (sheath)

This object is a desk knife and its sheath was produced by the government Stationary Office around 1915. It was made by the Sheffield cutlery firm Thomas Turner & Company and was used for pencil sharpening, scratching out ink errors, opening letters and other desk-based tasks. Stamped on the handle are a crown with the letters ‘S. O.’ underneath.

 

[Jack Black]

Folding Fruit Knife
Date Made/Found: late 18th Century
Manufacturer: Robert Kippax & Co
Material and Medium: Silver Tortoiseshell
Dimensions: Overall: 9 x 148mm (3/8 x 5 13/16in.) Overall: 14 x 80mm (9/16 x 3 1/8in.) (closed)

This is a silver bladed folding fruit knife with a handle of tortoiseshell. The blade is stamped with the Sheffield crown Hallmark, the Lion Passant silver quality mark and the maker’s mark for Robert Kippax. Kippax registered his silvermaker’s mark at the Sheffield Assay Office in 1774, the year after it opened. Silver folding fruit knives combined the Sheffield skills of blade making and silversmithing and were produced in great numbers for the luxury market in the late 1700s and throughout the 1800s. Fruit knife blades were made from silver rather than steel because the latter reacts with acid in fruit and adversely affects the taste.

Folding Fruit Knife
Date Made/Found: 1893
Manufacturer: J Y Cowlishaw
Material and Medium: Silver silver gilt Mother-of-pearl
Dimensions: Overall: 14 x 159mm (9/16 x 6 1/4in.) Overall: 17 x 89mm (11/16 x 3 1/2in.) (closed)

The firm of John Cowlishaw produced some of the finest fruit knives of the 19th century. This example can be dated from the Hallmark on its silver blade to 1893. The handle is made from mother of pearl and the blade has been ornately engraved with an intricate leaf and fruit design and gilded to make it look like gold. Fruit knife blades were made from silver rather than steel because the latter reacts with acid in fruit and adversely affects the taste. This knife came with a presentation leather case with a green silk and velvet lining.

Folding Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1936
Material and Medium: stainless steel plastic
Dimensions: Overall: 14 x 163mm (9/16 x 6 7/16in.) (both blades fully extended)

This is a pocket knife with two Sheffield-made folding blades, one thicker for general use and the other a thinner pen knife blade. It was produced as a souvenir to commemorate the coronations of King George VI and his consort Queen Elizabeth on 12 May 1937. The knife handle scales are made of inexpensive plastic and decorated with transfer pictures of the King and Queen on one side. The knife also functioned as advertising for Dan Flynn of London, whose telephone number (Whitehall 0151) was printed on the reverse. There was a good market for cheaply produced souvenir pocket knives which were given as gifts, often to schoolboys.

Folding knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1886
Material and Medium: Tortoiseshell steel
Dimensions: Overall: 4 x 29mm (3/16 x 1 1/8in.)

This miniature folding pocket knife measures less than 3cm with the blade open. It was made around 1886 by Charles Thorne while he was working at the firm of Joseph Rodgers & Sons. Rodgers was the largest cutlery manufacturer in Sheffield during the cutlery-making golden age in the 1800s. The firm prided themselves on their craftsmanship and made many novelty and exhibition pieces large, small and intricately decorated. These objects were designed to show off the skills of the craftsmen. This knife has handle scales made from tortoiseshell and a single sheepsfoot style blade.

Folding Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1863
Material and Medium: steel Nickel Horn Paper
Dimensions: Overall: 14 x 130mm (9/16 x 5 1/8in.) Overall: 14 x 73mm (9/16 x 2 7/8in.)

This souvenir pocket knife has a single folding Sheffield-made blade and was manufactured to commemorate the royal wedding of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) to Princess Alexandra of Denmark in 1863. According to museum records it was ‘found in a wall’ and later donated to Weston Park Museum. The handle scales are made from animal horn which has been heated and pressed until transparent. The horn casing covers printed decorative paper with images of the royal couple on one side and their names on the other with ‘Married March 10 1863’ underneath.

 

[Jack Black]

Folding Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1771
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Horn
Dimensions: Overall: 17 x 120mm (11/16 x 4 3/4in.) (open)

This pen knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a single curved thin blade. The scales (handle) are made of pressed animal horn. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Folding Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1771
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Ivory
Dimensions: Overall: 13 x 69mm (1/2 x 2 11/16in.) (closed)

This pocket knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a large folding blade at one end and a smaller pen blade, for trimming and shaping quills, at the other. The scales (handle) are made of green stained ivory. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Folding Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1771
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Horn
Dimensions: Overall: 6 x 145mm (1/4 x 5 11/16in.) (open)

This pocket knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a long folding blade at one end and a smaller pen blade with a clipped point, for trimming and shaping quill nibs, at the other. The handle scales are made of animal horn. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Folding knife
Date Made/Found: late 17th Century
Material and Medium: steel
Dimensions: Overall: 24 × 99mm (15/16 × 3 7/8in.) (closed)

The maker’s mark on this folding knife shows that it was made by the Sheffield cutler Hugh Fenton who registered his mark with the Cutlers’ Company in 1684. It was found at Edinburgh Castle during Ministry of Works excavations in the mid 1900s. The blade is inscribed with a crude engraved pattern and a motto but only the words ‘spring’ and ‘Burd’ are decipherable. The custom of engraving verses on knife blades was fairly common in the 1600s and 1700s. The term ‘cutler’s poetry’ is used by William Shakespeare as a metaphor for unsophisticated rhymes.

Folding Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1771
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Wood
Dimensions: Overall: 23 x 160mm (7/8 x 6 5/16in.) (open)

This pocket knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a folding pruning style blade. The scales (handle) are made of wood. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

 

[Jack Black]

Folding knife
Date Made/Found: 1901
Manufacturer: J Y Cowlishaw
Material and Medium: Silver Mother-of-pearl
Dimensions: Overall: 13 x 140mm (1/2 x 5 1/2in.) Overall: 15 x 83mm (9/16 x 3 1/4in.) (closed)

A single-bladed folding fruit knife made of silver with a plain bolster and mother of pearl handle scales. The scales have raised bump detail along the edges and are inlaid with a rectangular engraving shield. The knife was made by the firm of John Cowlishaw who produced some of the finest fruit knives of the 19th century. This example can be dated from the Sheffield Hallmark on its silver blade to 1901. It was sold in a presentation box with a satin and velvet lining in a set with two other knives. Fruit knife blades were made from silver rather than steel because the latter reacts with acid in fruit and adversely affects the taste.

Folding knife
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Antler
Dimensions: Overall: 20 x 153mm (13/16 x 6in.) (open)

This pocket knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a single folding pruning style blade. The scales (handle) are made of stag horn. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Folding knife and fork
Date Made/Found: around 1780
Material and Medium: silver, mother of pearl

The blade and tines of this folding knife and fork are made from Sterling silver. The decorative bolsters, end caps and inlaid cartouche (on which the owner's initials, 'M.H.' are engraved) are also made from silver. The scales (two piece handles) are made from mother of pearl. This is a generic term for the lustrous lining of various marine shells, including oysters, mussels and abalone. It is prized for its lustrous appearance and beautiful variations of colour. The shape of the blade is known as spear point. This type of blade is influenced by French folding knives. Most knives being produced in Britain during the 1700s were a curved shape known today as scimitar. The new, pointed French style became fashionable during the second half of the 1700s. The fork has three tines (prongs). Earlier in the 1700s, both folding forks and table forks tended to have two tines. Forks with three tines became more common towards the end of the 1700s. Folding knives were often made using very expensive materials, such as tortoiseshell and mother of pearl. They would function as a status symbol, communicating your wealth and refined sense of taste to those around you.

Knife
Date Made/Found: 1830-1870
Material and Medium: steel, brass, rosewood
Dimensions: Overall: 40 x 348mm (1 9/16 x 13 11/16in.)

The blade of this knife is stamped with the letters 'H.B' over 'W' within a heart. This mark is not registered to the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire and does not appear in the surviving records of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers of London. It is possible that it is a merchant's mark, rather than a maker's mark. Unfortunately, this means that we cannot identify who made the knife or where it was manufactured. Our original documentation states that the knife was made specifically for export to South America. This could also add strength to the argument that the blade is marked with the stamp of a merchant. The handle has been inlaid with the symbols of a flower and a hand holding a heart. These are made from brass. This decoration indicates that the knife is linked to an organisation named the Independent Order of Oddfellows. It is possible that this knife was presented to a member of the Order of Oddfellows. The hand holding a heart symbolises charity. This image is often used on memorials in the 1800s, particularly those belonging to deceased members of the Oddfellows. The Oddfellows was one of a large number of philanthropic 'friendly societies' founded in the late 1700s and 1800s. The period 1780-1850 saw a large increase in the number of these voluntary societies in Britain, particularly in industrial towns. They included, for example, mechanics institutes, literary societies, temperance societies, medical charities and philosophical societies. Voluntary societies were usually made up of the middle classes and each member had to pay a subscription fee. These fees were combined to form a pool of money that could be redistributed to members in times of need, for example, during periods of sickness. The societies were often involved in charitable fundraising for good causes.

Knife
Date Made/Found: early 20th Century
Material and Medium: steel Rosewood
Dimensions: Overall: 65 x 260mm (2 9/16 x 10 1/4in.)

This butcher’s knife features a pronounced curved 'scimitar' style steel blade with a rosewood handle, and was designed for the effective cutting and skinning of meat. It dates from the early 20th century and was made before Stainless steel became the favoured metal for trade and kitchen knife manufacture. The blade is stamped with Butler’s ‘key’ trademark, a mark initially registered with the Cutlers' Company in 1681 by the manufacturers Steer & Webster and bought by Butler in 1882. Companies sometimes bought existing marks for defunct manufacturers to heighten their historical credentials. The blade is also stamped with the words ‘REAL SHEFFIELD "KEY" KNIFE’.

 

[Jack Black]

Knife
Date Made/Found: 600-700
Material and Medium: Iron
Dimensions: Length 12cm

Iron knife found at Wigber Low. Knives like this one are common in the Anglo-Saxon period. Both men and women would have carried a knife with them. It was an essential item for many tasks in their daily lives. It was used as a tool, not as a weapon. The iron has survived reasonably well and has been stabilised by conservation treatment. This gives it the darker, almost black colour. The handle would have been made of an organic material, like wood or bone. This has not survived in the ground.

Knife
Date Made/Found: around 1600
Material and Medium: iron and steel, ivory
Dimensions: Overall: 210mm (8 1/4in.)

This knife has an ivory handle that is surmounted with a carved skull. It was made in London around 1600. Objects decorated with skulls, or works of art including depictions of skulls, are often referred to as 'memento mori' (loosely translated from Latin as 'remember your mortality'). They were sometimes used to commemorate a death or to help remember a deceased person. Queen Victoria revived the fashion for memento mori as she endured a long period of mourning for her husband, Prince Albert, who died in 1861. This new interest in remembering the dead is sometimes referred to as the 'cult of mourning'. Brooches made from Whitby jet were very popular at this time and were worn as a symbol of mourning. Cheaper versions were made in Sheffield using pressed buffalo horn imported from the United States and India. Pendants containing locks of hair from deceased relatives were also worn as memento mori.

Knife
Date Made/Found: around 1792
Material and Medium: Iron and steel, brass
Dimensions: Overall: 137mm (5 3/8in.)

This delicate folding knife bears the mark 'W.PEPYS'. In 1792 this mark was registered to William Pepys, a descendant of the diarist Samuel Pepys. William was made Master of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers of London this same year. Based on its style and shape, this knife was originally dated to around 1690. Folding knives of this date often had curved scimitar blades, as in this example. Folding knives of the late 1700s tended to have straight, pointed blades after the French fashion. However, this interpretation relies on the assumption that the mark 'W.PEPYS' was being used by a cutler working 100 years before it was registered to William Pepys in 1792. It is possible that a new blade was attached the haft to replace a damaged original, or simply that the knife was made in the earlier scimitar style. The same cutler's mark was also used during the 1800s by another London craftsman, W H Pepys. This cutler became a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers of London in 1796 and was Master Cutler in 1822 and 1828. The knife scales are held in place with three pins and are engraved on both sides. On one side is the name 'Mary Broomall' and on the reverse is 'ALBRIGHTON'. Records from Albrighton in Shropshire include information on Mary Broomall, who was born in 1752 and christened in 1754. Her marriage to Edward Pryce is recorded as taking place on the 26th September in 1772 or 1773. It is possible that it was given to Mary as a gift for her wedding or another special occasion. The giving a set of knives, or later a knife and fork, to a bride to mark her new status was practiced as early as the 1300s. They were often presented in highly ornate decorative sheaths and were personalised with the name of the owner. A small nick on the top edge of the blade can be used to open the knife. In Sheffield, this is known as a nail nick. The blade is a scimitar shape, which began to be used for table knives in the late 1600s and become very popular in the 1700s. The rounded end of the blade could be used in a similar fashion to a spoon, scooping up any remaining sauce from the dinner plate. When unfolded, the brass scales (the two sections that form the handle) curve down at the end. This is very similar to a style of handle that began to be used at the end of the 1600s, known as pistol grip. When the blade is folded away, its bulbous end sits perfectly in the curve of the pistol handle.

Knife
Date Made/Found: 1779
Material and Medium: silver, gilt, brass, green stained ivory

This folding knife was hallmarked at Sheffield Assay Office in 1779. The hallmarks can be seen on the blade itself and the date letter is located on the tang. In a folding knife, this is the part of the blade that is attached to the bolster. Unfortunately there is no maker's mark. A large number of cutlers were making a variety of knives in Sheffield at around the time this object was made. Many of them are listed in the Trade Directory for 1774, alongside images of the mark or marks they were using. The blade is made from silver gilt and has bands of stamped and chased decoration. The shape of the blade, known as spear point, and its style of decoration show a French influence. Most knives being produced in Britain at this time were a curved shape known as scimitar, but the new French style became fashionable during the second half of the 1700s. The scales are made from green stained ivory, which has a ribbed effect known as reeding. The scales are fixed onto the haft with four pins, probably made from brass. This folding knife was made at a time when many people still carried eating implements on their person. A folding knife like this would most likely be used by a wealthy, fashion conscious individual for eating fruit, or during al fresco meals. Some of the more expensive knives came in a set with a matching folding fork. Folding cutlery was also used more in everyday walks of life, replacing the knife in sheath of earlier times and was an essential accessory for travellers. Silver and silver gilt would not react to acid in the fruit and spoil its taste, which is why dessert or fruit knives and forks were made of this material. Folding knives were often made using very expensive materials, such as tortoiseshell and mother of pearl. They would function as a status symbol, communicating your wealth and refined sense of taste to those around you.

Knife
Date Made/Found: around 1790
Material and Medium: Close plate, silver, tortoiseshell
Dimensions: Overall: 239mm (9 7/16in.)

The blade of this folding knife is marked 'COLMORE PATENT'. It was made by S Colmore, a Birmingham maker of close plate goods who registered the mark in 1790. The shape of the blade is known as spear point. This type of blade and the style of its decoration are influenced by French folding knives. Most knives being produced in Britain during the 1700s were a curved shape known as scimitar. The new, pointed French style became fashionable during the second half of the 1700s. The beautiful tortoiseshell scales are fixed onto the haft with silver pins. The blade is engraved with a hunting scene, including dogs and a rabbit. This might indicate it was intended for use while hunting or during outdoor activities. The knife was made at a time when many people still carried eating implements around with them. A folding knife like this would most likely be used by a wealthy, fashion conscious individual. Some of the more expensive knives came in a set with a matching folding fork. Folding cutlery was also used in everyday walks of life, replacing the knife in sheath of earlier times. It was an essential accessory for travellers. Silver and silver gilt would not react to acid in the fruit and spoil its taste, which is why dessert or fruit knives and forks were made of this material. Folding knives were often made using very expensive materials, such as tortoiseshell and mother of pearl. They would function as a status symbol, communicating your wealth and refined sense of taste to those around you.

Knife
Date Made/Found: around 1790
Material and Medium: silver, mother of pearl
Department: Decorative Art
Accession Number: 2004.615
The shape of the blade is known as spear point. This type of blade and the style of its decoration are influenced by French folding knives. Most knives being produced in Britain during the 1700s were a curved shape known as scimitar. The new, pointed French style became fashionable during the second half of the 1700s. The blade is marked with the Lion Passant and the Sovereign's Head. The Lion Passant was adopted as the Sterling standard mark in London in 1544. It indicates that the blade is made of silver. The Sovereign's Head indicates that the correct duty had been paid on an object. This mark was between 1784 and 1890. The mother of pearl scales are fixed onto the haft with ornate silver pins in the form of rosettes. There is a cartouche inlaid into the scale onto which the owner's initials 'H.L.' have been engraved. The knife is finished with a decorative silver end cap. The back of the blade is engraved with centaur carrying a bow and arrow. This might indicate it was intended for use while hunting or during outdoor activities. The knife was made at a time when many people still carried around eating implements with them. A folding knife like this would most likely be used by a wealthy, fashion conscious individual. Some of the more expensive knives came in a set with a matching folding fork. Folding cutlery was also used in everyday walks of life, replacing the knife in sheath of earlier times. It was an essential accessory for travellers. Silver and silver gilt would not react to acid in the fruit and spoil its taste, which is why dessert or fruit knives and forks were made of this material. Folding knives were often made using very expensive materials, such as tortoiseshell and mother of pearl. They would function as a status symbol, communicating your wealth and refined sense of taste to those around you.

 

[Jack Black]

Knife
Date Made/Found: 1066-1850
Material and Medium: Iron
Dimensions: Longest 117mm
Place Object Found: Sheffield

These knives are from the site of Sheffield Castle. Sheffield Castle was built on a small hill at the junction of the River Sheaf and the River Don. The first wooden castle was built around 1100, and a later, much larger stone version stood until 1648, when it was demolished after the Civil War. Before the castle was demolished, the moat began to silt up, and afterwards it slowly filled with debris.

Knife
Date Made/Found: 1300-1399
Material and Medium: Iron
Dimensions: Length 159mm, width 21mm and depth 3mm
Place Object Found: Sheffield

This iron knife was found during the excavation of Sheffield Castle between 1950 and 1959. Sheffield Castle once stood on the site of Castle Market in central Sheffield. It dated from around 1100 to 1648, when it was demolished. Mary Queen of Scots was kept here by George Talbot, the 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, for fourteen years of her imprisonment. From 1958 to the 1970s Leslie Butcher surveyed the site of the Castle during various building works. This knife was probably found during this work.

Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1890
Material and Medium: steel Mother-of-pearl
Dimensions: Overall: 38 x 224mm (1 1/2 x 8 13/16in.)

This dagger was made by Charles Ibbotson & Co in Sheffield around 1890. It has a double-edged spearpoint blade and a decorated handle made from mother of pearl set into nickel. The blade has been etched with a decorative scroll design and the words: ‘Never draw me without reason nor sheath me without honour’. It became fashionable to inscribe or etch fighting knife blades with impressive slogans, and this was particularly true for items destined for the American market. This phrase is a translation of a motto that was popular on Spanish swords.

Knife and sheath
Date Made/Found: late 1800s
Manufacturer: Joseph Haywood & Company
Material and Medium: steel, ivory
Dimensions: Overall (when accessories open): 180 x 360mm (7 1/16 x 14 3/16in.)

Knives with this type of blade are known as Bowies. The object was made in the late 1800s, a time when these knives were incredibly popular. They proved to be a profitable item for export, particularly to the United States. The scales (handle parts) are made from ivory. They have been carved to give a cross hatched finish, making the knife less likely to slip in the hand when in use. This knife is quite unusual as it also has a number of useful folding attachments. These include a number of short knife blades, a button hook, a corkscrew, a hoof pick and a reamer, which is a pointed tool similar to an awl. Scissors, tweezers and a needle are slotted into the cap at the end of the handle. The knife was made by Joseph Haywood & Co of Sheffield. Each blade is stamped with the maker's mark of a kettle. The main blade is stamped on the bolster with the words 'JOSEPH HAYWOOD & COMPANY MADE IN SHEFFIELD'. It comes with a hard leather case. The firm was founded in Sheffield around 1840. By 1880, they were based at the Glamorgan Works on Little Pond Street. Haywood & Co specialised in penknives, pocket knives and sportsman's knives. They also manufactured cutlery for the table.

Knife and sheath
Date Made/Found: around 1650
Material and Medium: iron and steel, brass, green stained bone, leather
Department: Decorative Art
Accession Number: Virtual2004.330-331

This knife and sheath was probably made in Sheffield and date to around 1650. The black leather sheath is decorated with impressed fleur-de-lys. The blade has a square tip and has been struck with the maker's mark of a pawn and the letter 'T'. The haft (handle) is made from carved green stained bone and is attached to the blade with a through tang. This is a rod of metal that runs from the end of blade through a hole down the length of the haft. It is secured with a brass end cap with a scalloped edge. The blade of this knife is inscribed with the phrase: 'If you do use me Do not a buse me'. Next to this message is a cursive motif, most probably the owner's monogram. During the 1600s, knives were sometimes inscribed with cautionary messages encouraging owners to not raise their blade in anger. Pairs of knives could be inscribed with different lines of verse. These messages are sometimes referred to as cutlers' poetry. During the Medieval period knives were an essential part of everyday life. They were carried on the person in a sheath attached to a belt. Sets of travelling cutlery became very popular during the 1600s, as inns did not always provide eating implements. They were often composed of a folding knife, spoon and fork in a case.

Knife and sheaths
Date Made/Found: 1200s
Material and Medium: iron and steel, wood, leather

This group of objects comprises one knife with its original accompanying sheath and three other sheaths without knives. The two larger sheaths are embossed with depictions of animals and plants. The animals depicted include hare, dogs and boar. This suggests that they may have been used to hold hunting knives. The smaller sheaths are decorated with punching and gothic tracery (a pattern of interlacing lines, often used for ornamental windows). These two sheaths also have holes in the leather, through which a thong (thin strip of leather) could be passed. This would enable them to be tied to the owner's belt or around their waist. Along with a large number of other finds, these objects were recovered from the River Thames in London. It is possible that many of the objects found in the river were simply lost. However, the high quality of some of these finds, which include swords, pottery vessels and axeheads, has led to the suggestion that many were likely to have been intentionally deposited as a form of ritual activity.

 

[Jack Black]

knife, sheath
Date Made/Found: circa 1835
Collector: Collected by 2nd Baron of Wharncliffe John Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie , 1801 - 1855
Maker: Knife made by Joseph Elliot and Sons (Ltd)
Material and Medium: plant fibre, metal, hide, porcupine quills
Dimensions: Overall: 294.6mm (11 5/8in.) - knife (made in Sheffield) Overall: 85 x 238.8mm (3 3/8 x 9 3/8in.) - sheath Overall: 85 x 390mm (3 3/8 x 15 3/8in.) - knife in sheath
Place Object Found: North America

Knife made of butcher's blade with a straight back and the front edge curves to a point. Blade is marked "*L" and manufactured in Sheffield. Knife's sheath is made of deer skin by the Native Americans (Sioux people). Along the top of one side, there is a band of stained porcupine quills in white, black, yellow, red and blue, with a fringe of pieces of tin (sound of bells ringing when move). There is also a small piece of loose fragment from the knife. Knife and sheath would have been carried under the belt. This knife was sold by a Sheffield knife maker Joseph Elliot who had businesses all over Americas and Europe. It was sold to Sioux people who made a hide sheath for it. It was then brought back to Sheffield by a local collector the 2nd Baron of Wharncliffe.

Multi Bladed Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1880
Material and Medium: steel Ivory stainless steel
Dimensions: Overall: 36 x 171mm (1 7/16 x 6 3/4in.) (blades fully extended)

This knife was made in the later 1800s by the Sheffield cutlery firm Francis Newton & Sons. It reflects the Victorian fashion for multi-bladed knives where folding knife makers could show off their skills. It has an unusual design. The handle is in four parts, with four ivory scales, each triangular in section. There are six complete knife blades (one of them incorporating a file), a seventh blade which is broken and small folding spring scissors. Three of the blades are later replacements, one of them being made of Stainless steel which was not used in knife manufacture until after 1920.

Nelson Knife
Date Made/Found: c1930
Manufacturer: Joseph Rodgers & Sons , founded 1724
Material and Medium: stainless steel and plastic
Dimensions: Overall: 15 x 50 x 190mm (9/16 x 1 15/16 x 7 1/2in.)
This is a stainless steel knife dating from around 1930, manufactured by Joseph Rodgers & Sons. This kind of knife/fork combination cultery is known as a 'Nelson knife', as it was designed to be used with just one hand.

Pen Knife
Date Made/Found: late 18th Century
Maker: Enoch Drabble
Material and Medium: Horn, Brass
Dimensions: Overall (closed): 11 x 79mm (7/16 x 3 1/8in.)

A pocket knife with a steel blade, brass bolster (thickening between blade and handle) and transparent horn scales (handle) made by Enoch Drabble of Sheffield in the late 18th century. The knife has a printed motto on each side: "Humanity in Prosperity, and Fortuitude in distress" and "May distressed Merit soon be exalted". During the 1770s there was a trend for making folding knives which incorporated messages relating to the purpose of the knife, its ownership, or patriotic or political messages. The horn scales are tough and hardwearing, but the material is also light and would have been easily worked. The horns principally employed in knife handle manufacture were ox-horns, ranging from white to dark brown.

Pen Knife
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Ivory
Dimensions: Overall: 13 x 122mm (1/2 x 4 13/16in.)(open)

This pen knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a single thin blade with a raised clip point for the effective shaping and slitting of quill pen nibs. The scales (handle) are made of ivory. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Pen Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1771
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Horn
Dimensions: Overall: 13 x 112mm (1/2 x 4 7/16in.) (open)

This pen knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a single thin blade for the effective shaping and slitting of quill pen nibs. The scales (handle) are made of pressed animal horn. The blade is slightly curved and is broken off at the tip. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Pen Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1771
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Horn Silver
Dimensions: Overall: 13 x 119mm (1/2 x 4 11/16in.) Overall: 13 x 77mm (1/2 x 3 1/16in.) (closed)

This pen knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a single thin blade with a raised clip point for the effective shaping and slitting of quill pen nibs. The scales (handle) are made of pressed and polished animal horn and it is decorated with silver mounts and an engraving medallion. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Pen Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1771
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Horn
Dimensions: Overall: 15 x 122mm (9/16 x 4 13/16in.) (open)

This pen knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a single thin spearpoint blade for the effective shaping and slitting of quill pen nibs. The scales (handle) are made of pressed animal horn. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

 

[Jack Black]

Pen Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1771
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Horn
Dimensions: Overall: 13 x 122mm (1/2 x 4 13/16in.) (open)

This pen knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a single thin blade with a raised clip point for the effective shaping and slitting of quill pen nibs. The scales (handle) are made of pressed and polished animal horn. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Pen Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1900
Manufacturer: Brookes & Crookes Ltd
Material and Medium: Mother-of-pearl steel Tortoiseshell
Dimensions: Overall: 11 x 128mm (7/16 x 5 1/16in.) Overall: 13 x 75mm (1/2 x 2 15/16in.) (closed)

This folding knife by Brookes & Crookes Ltd features a handle made from tortoiseshell and two blades, one of steel and the other made from mother of pearl. Tortoiseshell was a popular material in elegant cutlery manufacture and it has been used for centuries in jewellery-making and decorative arts. Its use was banned in the 1970s as the animals became endangered. The mother of pearl blade would have been used as a paper cutter or letter opener. Mother of pearl was harvested from abalone pearl shells and was an important auxiliary material in the cutlery industry, often used for handles in ‘high-end’ items.

Pen Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1771
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Horn Silver
Dimensions: Overall: 14 x 120mm (9/16 x 4 3/4in.) Overall: 14 x 81mm (9/16 x 3 3/16in.) (closed)

This pen knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a single thin blade for the effective shaping and slitting of quill pen nibs. The scales (handle) are made of pressed animal horn and it is decorated with silver mounts and an engraving medallion. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Pen Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1771
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Horn
Dimensions: Overall: 15 x 116mm (9/16 x 4 9/16in.) (open)

This pen knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a single thin blade with a raised clip point for the effective shaping and slitting of quill pen nibs. The scales (handle) are made of pressed and polished animal horn. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Pocket knife
Date Made/Found: late 17th Century
Material and Medium: Horn, Steel.
Dimensions: Overall (closed): 25 x 83mm (1 x 3 1/4in.)

A folding knife with a horn handle made by Thomas Wilson of Sheffield in the late 1600s. The knife blade has been inscribed 'Lend mee not long where cookes are throng' and is also marked with an image of a flower and '1679'. It can be interpreted as meaning ‘cooks might steal me, because I am such a good knife’. There was a fashion for inscribing knife blades with sayings and verses in the 1600 and 1700s. Thomas Wilson registered his mark with the Cutlers' Company in 1678.

Pocket knife
Date Made/Found: late 18th Century
Manufacturer: George Patten
Material and Medium: Brass, Steel
Dimensions: Overall (closed): 35 x 75mm (1 3/8 x 2 15/16in.)

During the 1770s there was a fashion for making folding knives with brass scales and there are several of these in the museum’s cutlery collection. This pocket knife has a stubby broad blade and brass handle and was manufactured by George Patten in Sheffield in the late 18th century. The handle is stamped with floral designs copied from fashionable French patterns of the time to make it seem more foreign and exotic. The blade is marked with the manufacturer’s registered ‘PATEN’ mark and Maltese cross, a mark George Patten first registered the Cutlers' Company in Sheffield in 1737 and also registered in the French cutlery centre of Thiers.

Pocket Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1907
Material and Medium: steel Silver
Dimensions: Overall: 55 x 156mm (2 3/16 x 6 1/8in.) (fully open)

This Sheffield-made pocket knife has three folding blades; two made of steel and one of silver. The scales (handle) are also made from silver and are hallmarked for Sheffield 1907. The steel blades were made by John Slater & Sons and the silver parts of the knife are stamped with the maker’s mark for Thomas Ellin & Co. The silver blade was designed for use as a fruit knife because steel can taint the flavour of fruit as it reacts with natural acids. The larger steel blade is a sturdy general pocket knife, the smaller is a pen blade, traditionally used for sharpening and shaping the nib of a writing quill. The knife is interesting because it illustrates how manufacturers collaborated with one another to produce items of cutlery.

Pocket Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1771
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Ivory
Dimensions: Overall: 15 x 120mm (9/16 x 4 3/4in.) (open)

This pocket knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a folding pruning style blade. The scales (handle) are made of ivory and it has a decorative reeded style bolster made of brass. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

 

[supratentorial]

Although it may be a small collection considering that cutlery was a main industry in Sheffield, it will take me a while to go through them all. And I will enjoy reading/looking through this thread. :thumbup:

I've heard that a kitchen table in Leeds has been added to the list of historical sites and exhibits.

 

[Jack Black]

Pocket Knife
Date Made/Found: 1923-1924
Material and Medium: steel Silver
Dimensions: Overall: 14mm, 160kg (9/16in., 352.7lb.) (open) Overall: 100 x 160mm (3 15/16 x 6 5/16in.) (fitments open)

Sheffield was celebrated for its innovative pen and pocket knife manufacturing in the 1800s. This multi-bladed pocket knife has seven folding 'fitments' consisting of one larger steel blade for general use, a smaller pen blade, traditionally used for shaping the nib of a writing quill, a silver fruit-cutting blade, folding scissors, a spike, a button hook, and a corkscrew. Its handle is made from silver scales which have been decorated with an engine-turned wave pattern. The knife is stamped with the Sheffield Hallmark for 1923 and the maker’s mark for John Slater & Sons. This knife formerly belonged to the son of the manufacturer and has an elliptical engraving panel inscribed with the name ‘A. Slater’.

Pocket Knife
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Antler
Dimensions: Overall: 10 x 204mm (3/8 x 8 1/16in.) (open)

This pocket knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a large folding blade at one end and a smaller pen blade, for trimming quills, at the other. The scales (handle) are made of stag horn. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Pocket Knife
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Horn
Dimensions: Overall: 20 x 143mm (13/16 x 5 5/8in.) (open)

This pocket knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a large folding blade and a smaller pen blade, for trimming quills. The scales (handle) are made of pressed horn. When animal horn is heated it becomes soft and can be molded into shape. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Pocket Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1771
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Horn
Dimensions: Overall: 13 x 225mm (1/2 x 8 7/8in.) (fully open) Overall: 13 x 99mm (1/2 x 3 7/8in.) (closed)

This pocket knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a large folding blade at one end and a smaller pen blade, for trimming and shaping quills, at the other. The scales (handle) are made of horn. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Pocket knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1840
Manufacturer: Joseph Rodgers & Sons , founded 1724
Material and Medium: steel Wood Ivory
Dimensions: Overall: 16 x 180mm (5/8 x 7 1/16in.) (open)

The scales (handle) for this folding knife are made from wood from the timbers of The Royal George, a British naval warship that sank in 1782 while moored near Portsmouth Harbour. The ship sank while undergoing maintenance work with most of the crew on board as well as many members of the public who were enjoying a day’s sightseeing. Over 800 lives were lost. The recovered ship’s timbers were used to make souvenirs, such as the handle for this knife and other items, including a billiard table. The knife bears an inscription: ‘From the wreck of the Royal George Sunk 1782 Raised 1839.’

Pocket Knife
Date Made/Found: 1930-1939
Manufacturer: Joseph Westby , 1854-1929
Material and Medium: stainless steel plastic Brass
Dimensions: Overall: 9 x 128mm (3/8 x 5 1/16in.) Overall: 9 x 64mm (3/8 x 2 1/2in.) (closed)

These six small folding knives were made by the Sheffield cutlery firm Joseph Westby who specialized in pocket knives. The company started producing in the late 1880s and incorporated the innovations of Stainless steel and plastic compounds into their manufacturing as these became available in the 20th century. These knives date from the 1930s and are made of Stainless steel and pearlised plastic. They are all the same pattern and were probably used on a display card to show prospective buyers the colours that were available.

Pocket Knife
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: Horn steel
Dimensions: Overall: 20 x 160mm (13/16 x 6 5/16in.) (open)

This pocket knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a single folding blade and scales (handle) made of pressed horn. When animal horn is heated it becomes soft and can be molded into shape. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Pocket Knife
Date Made/Found: circa 1936
Material and Medium: steel plastic
Dimensions: Overall: 14 x 189mm (9/16 x 7 7/16in) (blades extended)

This is a Sheffield-made pocket knife with two folding blades, one thicker blade for general use and another thin pen or pencil trimming blade. It was produced as a souvenir to commemorate the coronation of Edward VIII in 1937, an event which never took place because the King abdicated in December 1936 to marry the American divorcee Mrs Wallis Simpson. The handle scales are made of plastic and decorated with a coloured transfer image of the future King in his coronation robes. Cheaply produced souvenir pocket knives were sometimes given to schoolboys as gifts to commemorate state occasions.

 

[Jack Black]

Pocket Knife
Date Made/Found: 1920-1930
Manufacturer: J. Nowill & Son , founded 1700
Material and Medium: stainless steel Mother-of-pearl
Dimensions: Overall: 80 x 150mm (3 1/8 x 5 7/8in.) (fully open) Overall: 11 x 64mm (7/16 x 2 1/2in.) (closed)

This multi-bladed pocket knife is decorated with mother of pearl scales on the handle and has six useful tools or ‘fitments’, which fold compactly inside the knife’s casing. The small scissors are worked by a simple spring mechanism. There is also a small spear-point blade, a button hook, a short spike or leather punch, a nail file and a longer thin hoof pick. From the late 1700s Sheffield’s pocket knife makers showed great innovation in developing folding knives with many useful gadgets. They ranged from thin quill sharpening blades, or ‘pen’ knives, to more specialized utility knives designed for use by farmers or coachmen.

Pocket Knife
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Horn
Dimensions: Overall: 14 x 90mm (9/16 x 3 9/16in.) (closed)

This pocket knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a long folding blade and a corkscrew attachment. The scales (handle) are made of pressed horn. When animal horn is heated it becomes soft and can be molded into shape. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Pocket Knife
Material and Medium: steel Bone
Dimensions: Overall: 11 x 107mm (7/16 x 4 3/16in.) (open)

This small bone-handled pen knife has a single thin blade designed for cutting quill pen nibs to shape. It was acquired by the Sheffield City Museum (now Weston Park Museum) in 1882 as part of a small collection of old folding knives belonging to a Mr Thomas Ellis. According to the Accession Register of the day this knife was "said to have belonged to Lord Nelson when a boy". This is an interesting example of how museum objects can be accompanied by their own interesting legends but it often difficult to verify stories such as these.

Pocket knife
Date Made/Found: 1775-1795
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel, silver, brass, horn, shell

This pocket knife was made by the firm Joseph Rodgers & Sons of Sheffield, around 1775 to 1795. Joseph Rodgers & Sons was one of the largest and most prolific cutlery manufacturers based in the city. The company's famous star and Maltese cross mark was registered with the Company of Cutlers in 1764. The blade of this knife has this mark. By the end of the 1700s, the firm had established a factory on Norfolk Street. By the turn of the 1800s Joseph Rodgers & Sons was producing a vast range of goods. This included their famous penknives and pocket knives, as well as scissors, table cutlery and razors. In 1887 the firm began to manufacture its own high quality crucible and shear steel using iron imported from Sweden. The pattern of this pocket knife is known as the running dog motif. The scales are made from horn and form the body of the dog. The end of the spring has been curled over to form the end of the dog's tail. The eye is formed by a circular inlay of shell. This object was originally part of a group of twenty pocket knives mounted onto a sample board. A salesman would have used this as a promotional tool by taking it to retailers and other customers as best examples of work.

Pocket knife
Date Made/Found: 1930-1939
Manufacturer: Joseph Westby , 1854-1929
Material and Medium: Brass Mother-of-pearl stainless steel
Dimensions: Overall: 12 x 128mm (1/2 x 5 1/16in.) Overall: 12 x 72mm (1/2 x 2 13/16in.) (closed)

In the 19th century Sheffield was famous for the quality of its silver bladed folding fruit knives with handle scales made from exotic materials such as tortoiseshell and mother of pearl. This knife, by the Sheffield cutlery firm, Joseph Westby, was manufactured in the 1930s with a Stainless steel blade but it follows in the tradition of the earlier fruit knives. The pearl scales on this knife have a slight pink tinge to them.

Pocket knife
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Horn
Dimensions: Overall: 16 x 143mm (5/8 x 5 5/8in.) (open)

This pocket knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has three blades: a large folding blade and two smaller pen blades, one with a clip point. The scales (handle) are made of pressed animal horn. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Pocket knife
Manufacturer: Joseph and Maurice Rodgers
Material and Medium: steel Horn
Dimensions: Overall: 20 x 162mm (13/16 x 6 3/8in.) (open)

This pocket knife was made by Joseph & Maurice Rodgers in the mid to late 1700s. It has a large single folding blade and a corkscrew attachment. The scales (handle) are made of pressed horn. This knife was donated to what is now Weston Park Museum in 1875, the year that it opened. It was originally mounted on a pattern card along with 19 other folding knives of a similar size. The card would have been used by Rodgers’ salesmen to show prospective buyers samples of the different styles of knife. The maker’s mark ‘RODGERS’ is stamped at the base of the blade. By the 1800s the firm was trading as Joseph Rodgers & Sons and using its famous star and Maltese cross trademark.

Pruning knife
Date Made/Found: around 1900
Manufacturer: Joseph Rodgers & Sons , founded 1724
Material and Medium: Horn, Steel

This pruning knife was made by one of Sheffield's largest and most celebrated cutlery firms of the 1800s and early 1900s, Joseph Rodgers & Sons. It has a curved steel blade and the scales that form the handle are made from pressed buffalo horn. The horn was most likely imported from India or the United States. The knife was probably made between 1890 and 1910. The blade is stamped with the words 'JOSEPH RODGERS & SONS' and the company mark of a star and Maltese cross. This mark was registered to Joseph Rodgers in 1764. The bolster (the reinforced area where the blade meets the handle) is stamped with the address of one of their factories, 'NO. 6 NORFOLK STREET SHEFFIELD ENGLAND'.

Slotted knife and fork
Date Made/Found: around 1740
Material and Medium: iron and steel, horn

These objects are a slotted knife and fork. They were made in England around 1740. The knife blade and fork are made from steel. The knife blade has the maker's mark 'JEFFERYS'. The scales (two piece handles) are made from pressed horn and would have most likely been made by a specialist craftsman. The cutler would have purchased these from a local scale maker and fitted them to the knife and fork. The knife and fork can be slotted together to form a single item. Ordinarily, knives and forks would have two scales. However the knife and fork each have only one scale attached to their tang so that they can be joined together. A tang is a rod of metal that runs from the fork or blade enabling it to be joined to a handle. The fact they could slot together would make the knife and fork very portable and compact. This was important, as they were most likely carried on the person while travelling or otherwise away from the home. At the time this pair was made it was customary to carry eating implements, as they were not provided at inns or even other people's homes.

 

[r redden]

Wow Jack thank you for all the research and presenting these knives here. :thumbup: One of the best new threads I've saw in quite awhile I totally enjoyed it.

 

[Jack Black]

Although it may be a small collection considering that cutlery was a main industry in Sheffield, it will take me a while to go through them all. And I will enjoy reading/looking through this thread. :thumbup:

I've heard that a kitchen table in Leeds has been added to the list of historical sites and exhibits.

Wow Jack thank you for all the research and presenting these knives here. :thumbup: One of the best new threads I've saw in quite awhile I totally enjoyed it.

Thanks guys Sorry to have to present it in stages, but I seemed to have encountered a glitch in the site software, and couldn't edit my original post (it is certainly too long for one post anyway). Hope it keeps a few of you entertained over the weekend :thumbup:

 

[Chui]

- brilliant, nice one, Jack :thumbup: :thumbup:

Wonderful to see this old stuff, however, great shame as you say, that there's not more of it on show.

If you think ok, and other folk would like to see, am happy to scan and show some of the old exhibition knives.....?

 

[Jack Black]

If you think ok, and other folk would like to see, am happy to scan and show some of the old exhibition knives.....?

Thanks my friend, by all means. In the new gallery, they've now got only one exhibition knife on show! They must have absolutely thousands of knives locked away :grumpy:

 

[Primble]

Holy smokes !!! This certainly gives one a great impression of the magic created by the Sheffield makers ! :thumbup:

I will be reading all weekend !

Anticipated message from Photobucket - Mr. Jack - your Photobucket account is full !

 

[Pipeman]

Thanks so much for this thread Jack, some wonderful knives shown. May I please have the old butcher knive with the quill worked sheath? PLEASE ;-))))
As for museums and their stashes. The Royal Ontario Museum just finished a multi zillion dollar expansion a couple of years ago. Prior to the expansion they had 7% of their pieces on display, after the building project they had 3% of holdings on display. They certainly display the best of the best but never the stuff of the
"common folk".


Thanks again for the great thread and all the work it took you to post.

Best regards

Robin

 

[Jack Black]

Anticipated message from Photobucket - Mr. Jack - your Photobucket account is full !

Since every other thread I've done like this ends up with a load of missing photos, I've used direct links this time :thumbup: