Help with William Rodgers Sheffield knife

Hale Storm

Hale Storm

Kydex Whisperer
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Sep 18, 2013
Messages
2,771
Has anyone ever seen this one? I've seen and researched for days and cannot find this knife anywhere. Did someone put new handles on it at one time? Does anyone have an idea of it's age? I researched the name and looked at hundreds of photos. I haven't seen that weird "s with double stars" anywhere either. Now I'm here with my BF brethren asking if anyone can help with some info on this old WR Sheffield knife? I know about the 'I cut my way' brand and the Ulu symbol. I just want to narrow down how old this one is. Thanks in advance BF experts.

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I think the stars etc are a silver mark as such ( Hall mark ) - like you get on you MOP fruit knives- I don't think it has anything to do with WR. Looks 60's to me
 
The marks look like silverplate marks rather than sterling marks. Can you identify the letters in the first mark?
 
Blades are well worn down and I doubt very much it's a re-handle job.

Hallmarks on English silver are strictly defined. Must have guild/city mark (London, Sheffield, Birmingham are the main ones but there are other assay marks) maker's stamp as initials, year mark as letter (fonts vary from year to year). Listings can be found on the Net to identify year marks etc. Finally a standard mark, a lion passant guarantee a purity of 92.5% minimum silver I believe. Hence Sterling Silver. Britannia Silver is slightly higer purity 95.8% but rare.

However, silver being very soft material is not really that suited to knife handles so this one is EPNS electro plated nickel silver. The handle is likely brass with plating but can't be sure. Often EPNS marks and sometimes Shefield plate marks look like Hallmarks at first glance. Silver hallmarked blades can be found on Victorian fruit knives in the pre stainless days and were common, often with MOP or MOT handles.

Likely this knife is between the World Wars if I were forced to guess but it could be older.

One thing, other know more than I..:D

Thanks, Will
 
Now that I look at this again as a hallmark, if you read it left to right, could the rectangle (oval head?) area be a "WR", then the 2 stars, then the S? I don't know. That symbol that is readable right before the first star now looks to me like the legs of an "R" now that I stare at it some more.
Fascinating stuff either way.
Thanks for the info so far and I hope I get more responses.
 
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