"Made in Sheffield" 1830-1930, A golden age ?

[Jack Black]

A lot of good stuff posted in the last few days.
Lee - nice to see your example of pressed horn on the Joseph Haywood knife. Nice Fenton boy's knife/box combo, both appear to be in fairly good condition.
Jack - lots of nice knives posted. Very interesting bolsters on the Albert Oates. I really like the Brooks & Crookes angler's knife. Great collection of table cutlery with boxes, carving sets and bread knives.
herder - thanks very much for posting the comparison between carved/filed horn and pressed horn in the diamond pattern. Beautiful Southern & Richardson shadow whittler/box combination!
Duncan - nice example of carved diamond pattern horn on your Brooks & Crookes congress, too bad about the broken blades. Lovely little Rodgers with the Stainless etch.

Thank you very much

Given I saw Jack's Wigfall cutlery I thought I should share this John Wigfall (Bona-fide) skinner ...

Here's another knife I found among unposted possibilities for the thread - J Copley & Sons Sheffield - Nice ivory pen at 3"... Copley was a pen and pocket knife maker but was especially well known for Bowies in mid 1800s...

That Skinner is a beauty Lee As is your Copley, I love those old fonts If I am not mistaken, Levine calls that pattern a Crown Penknife. I have one or two Wigfall folders, but nothing in the same league my friend

Great showing of Table Cutlery Jack - I love it!!
Also - once again great examples of your Sheffield picket knives as well my friend!
Thanks Dan matey.

Long blade - I like that old Skinner - interesting Pin pattern.
Liking that great old Copley as well !!!

Thank you Duncan

Here's a couple of Crown Penknives by Harrison Fisher.

And one by William Rodgers.

 

[Jack Black]

Little more Sheffield MOP

Lewis Barnascone

Colquhoun & Cadman

Thomas Renshaw

Wragg was a common surname among Sheffield cutlers, and I'm unsure which particular one made this knife. None of the Wragg's listed by Geoff Tweedale are referenced in relation to Charles Street (which is right in the centre of Sheffield), so I'll need to do some more research.

W. Green

Another obscure cutler - Wattam?

 

[herder]

Thanks for the nice comments, Will P., Campbellclanman, Jack, and danno50.

Campbellclanman, attractive J. Rodgers sleeveboard model with uncommon genuine tortoise shell handles and "stainless" marked blade. While J. Rodgers may have come out with stainless blades on their pocket knives a bit earlier, the first evidence seen for them is in 1927. A picture is enclosed of your model handled in pearl from 1927.

Jack, great selection of Sheffield pocket knives and that Brookes & Crookes fishing folder is really neat. And a fantastic collection of tableware cutlery accompanied by some beautiful boxes. The "Taylors" and "Radiant" boxes have wonderful graphics.

LongBlade, nice examples shown in the Wigfall skinner, and Copley folder.

Enclosed is a John Watts eight-blade sportsman knife and box. The blades include: a main blade, pen blade, can opener, scissors, button hook, awl, corkscrew, and adjustable shotgun shell extractor.

I see more great knives came in from Jack as I was typing this, I'll get back to those...

View attachment 1427552

View attachment 1427553

 

[r8shell]

I think this knife might belong in this thread, but I'm not absolutely sure. (if the years are wrong, I'll remove it) I couldn't find any examples of pocketknives made by R BEST, but googling showed images of ink eraser knives with this mark.
3 5/8 " closed.

 

[Jack Black]

Jack, great selection of Sheffield pocket knives and that Brookes & Crookes fishing folder is really neat. And a fantastic collection of tableware cutlery accompanied by some beautiful boxes. The "Taylors" and "Radiant" boxes have wonderful graphics.

Enclosed is a John Watts eight-blade sportsman knife and box. The blades include: a main blade, pen blade, can opener, scissors, button hook, awl, corkscrew, and adjustable shotgun shell extractor.

I see more great knives came in from Jack as I was typing this, I'll get back to those...

View attachment 1427552

View attachment 1427553

Thanks pal Wow! What a treasure

I think this knife might belong in this thread, but I'm not absolutely sure. (if the years are wrong, I'll remove it) I couldn't find any examples of pocketknives made by R BEST, but googling showed images of ink eraser knives with this mark.
3 5/8 " closed.

Very interesting Rachel Tweedale includes John, Thomas & James Best, but not an R. Best

 

[Jack Black]

Here's a John Watts Slot Knife

 

[r8shell]

Very interesting Rachel Tweedale includes John, Thomas & James Best, but not an R. Best

Thanks, Jack. It's a mystery to me. As I said, they seemed to specialize in ink scrapers, so either they also made a few pocketknives, or someone used their stamp on one. It's very well made, with a goodly amount of ivory used, so I'm thinking it wasn't a cheap knife.

Here's a John Watts Slot Knife

No comb?

That's a cool knife. I suppose the blade can be opened even without taking the frame apart? Stainless handles?

 

[LongBlade]

Jack Black - Great showing of many well-known quality makers and their respective knives ... Some real nice finds for sure...

H herder - Nice addition to discussion with that superb Watts and catalog cut ...

 

[Jack Black]

Thanks, Jack. It's a mystery to me. As I said, they seemed to specialize in ink scrapers, so either they also made a few pocketknives, or someone used their stamp on one. It's very well made, with a goodly amount of ivory used, so I'm thinking it wasn't a cheap knife.

No comb?

That's a cool knife. I suppose the blade can be opened even without taking the frame apart? Stainless handles?

Many Sheffield firms had knives made up for them by other firms, or by small independent cutlers. That even happens today, where A. Wright & Son make up folders for J. Adams, who only make fixed blade knives. In the past, some of the beautiful Sheffield Exhibition Knives were made by specialist cutlers, but stamped with the name of the big prestigious cutlery houses, who could afford to commission them and pay for the finest embellishments

LOL! But this one has two

Thanks, yes it can It's older, so the handles are nickel-silver

 

[Jack Black]

Jack Black - Great showing of many well-known quality makers and their respective knives ... Some real nice finds for sure...

H herder - Nice addition to discussion with that superb Watts and catalog cut ...

Thank you Lee

 

[Jack Black]

After Sheffield became the established centre of cutlery production in Britain, even the cutlers of Salisbury and London imported Sheffield knives, and factors and merchants throughout the country (and abroad) had knives made there, with their own stamp. Sometimes it's possible to discover the actual manufacturer, but usually not unfortunately. Here are a few examples.

Croisdale of Leeds were originally cutlers and makers of surgical trusses, but they evolved into high class jewellers and quality cutlery merchants. The Croisdale knives have ivory covers, and are of a very high quality. The lower knife, also well-made, but a more 'Blue-collar' style, bears the mark of R. Kelly of Liverpool, a hardware merchant.

 

[Half/Stop]

After Sheffield became the established centre of cutlery production in Britain, even the cutlers of Salisbury and London imported Sheffield knives, and factors and merchants throughout the country (and abroad) had knives made there, with their own stamp. Sometimes it's possible to discover the actual manufacturer, but usually not unfortunately. Here are a few examples.

Croisdale of Leeds were originally cutlers and makers of surgical trusses, but they evolved into high class jewellers and quality cutlery merchants. The Croisdale knives have ivory covers, and are of a very high quality. The lower knife, also well-made, but a more 'Blue-collar' style, bears the mark of R. Kelly of Liverpool, a hardware merchant.

Very informative post Jack. The knives are all very nicely made. It's obvious they were made by a highly skilled cutler! I'm sure they sold a lot of those back in the day!

 

[Jack Black]

Very informative post Jack. The knives are all very nicely made. It's obvious they were made by a highly skilled cutler! I'm sure they sold a lot of those back in the day!

Thanks Ron Thankfully, they did, which is why there are still a few around for us collectors to pick up

Here's a little more Sheffield Ivory

Needham Brothers

T.M. Bingham

TEW

J. Ryalls

 

[r8shell]

After Sheffield became the established centre of cutlery production in Britain, even the cutlers of Salisbury and London imported Sheffield knives, and factors and merchants throughout the country (and abroad) had knives made there, with their own stamp. Sometimes it's possible to discover the actual manufacturer, but usually not unfortunately. Here are a few examples.

Croisdale of Leeds were originally cutlers and makers of surgical trusses, but they evolved into high class jewellers and quality cutlery merchants. The Croisdale knives have ivory covers, and are of a very high quality. The lower knife, also well-made, but a more 'Blue-collar' style, bears the mark of R. Kelly of Liverpool, a hardware merchant.

Very nice knives, Jack.
If I understand, it sounds similar to many of the midwest hardware store brands here in the U.S. that were produced by various New York cutlers.

 

[Jack Black]

Very nice knives, Jack.
If I understand, it sounds similar to many of the midwest hardware store brands here in the U.S. that were produced by various New York cutlers.

Thank you Rachel Yes indeed

 

[Half/Stop]

J. Ryalls

All nice pen knives Jack! This is the first time I've seen a J. Ryalls before. They must not be very common to find today!

 

[Jack Black]

All nice pen knives Jack! This is the first time I've seen a J. Ryalls before. They must not be very common to find today!

Thanks Ron, there were some Sheffield cutlery manufacturers who prioritized overseas markets, and others which were too small to do that in a dedicated way (with advertising and agents). John Ryalls & Sons was a very small firm, which only employed 35 cutlers at its height, and then only for a relatively short period. John Ryalls passed away in 1890, and the business ceased trading in 1916.

 

[Half/Stop]

Thanks Ron, there were some Sheffield cutlery manufacturers who prioritized overseas markets, and others which were too small to do that in a dedicated way (with advertising and agents). John Ryalls & Sons was a very small firm, which only employed 35 cutlers at its height, and then only for a relatively short period. John Ryalls passed away in 1890, and the business ceased trading in 1916.

Thanks a lot Jack!

 

[Jack Black]

I picked this one up (also in ivory) quite recently

A similar pattern (in Horn) by J. Howarth

 

[danno50]

Lee - Two more good ones! The Copley is a beauty.
Jack - another great showing of pen knives from an assortment of Sheffield cutlers! I really like seeing the old tang stamps. The Watt's slot knife is a nice piece.
herder - fantastic Watt's sportman's knife and box! Thanks for posting the catalog cuts. Your must have an amazing collection of old catalogs as you seem to be able to come up with a catalog cut for most occasions.
r8shell - I like the R. Best knife, very clear and well stamped tang stamp.

Below is a horn handled Joseph Rodgers jack (3 5/8" closed) and a Lockwood Bros. pearl pen (3 1/2" closed).