- Joined
- Dec 2, 2005
- Messages
- 69,120
When I was a boy, you didnt have to look far to find a pocket-knife in Sheffield. Virtually every newsagents shop had one or more colourful card displays hanging up next to the plastic combs and razor-blades, with elastic bands holding Richards clamshell knives. If you wanted something better, there was no shortage of small cutlery shops, with window displays for a lad to drool over. Knives of all types could be found almost everywhere in the city, I remember a cobblers shop which sold a great selection of Bowie knives for example, and every tobacconist, hardware store, fishing-tackle shop, and mens outfitters sold pocket-knives.
Today, things have changed a lot, and a visitor to the city whose name graced millions of pocket-knives, will be hard pushed to find so much as a penknife for sale, unless they know where to look.
About a mile and a half out of the city centre is The Famous Sheffield Shop, which I have mentioned here before, and where I generally go to buy my Sheffield knives. I used to know the shops previous proprietor Don Alexander, but for the past fourteen years it has been run by Paul Iseard, an exceedingly friendly chap, with a passion for all things Sheffield, and knives in particular.
I had been trying to get hold of an ebony-handled Arthur Wright Lambsfoot, with some difficulty as theyre not part of the firms standard range, and after contacting Paul by e-mail, he had managed to track me down a couple. I travelled over to Sheffield on a bitterly cold Monday morning, but certainly received a warm welcome in the shop. When I arrived, Paul was just checking through some Arthur Wright sheath knives, making sure all was as it should be with them. After greeting me and introducing me to his assistant, he left me to look round the shop while he dealt with another customer.
The walls of the shop are lined with kitchen knives and table cutlery, as well as books of local interest, pewter tankards, christening gifts, and various other Sheffield-made items. The pocket-knives are on display in the centre of the shop in attractive free-standing display cabinets, and Pauls assistant kindly lifted the glass lids for me so that I could better peruse the contents. On display were knives from Arthur Wright & Son, Trevor Ablett, Taylors Eye Witness, Joseph Rodgers, Wostenholm, and Ibberson, a really great selection.
Having dealt with his business, Paul got out the two knives he had for me, and after a quick inspection, I gratefully snapped them up. Paul then began to show me some of his private collection, which is on display in the shop. His enthusiasm matching my own, we cooed and chuckled like a pair of school boys! I was particularly struck by a lovely old Rope Knife, which Im afraid is rather blurred in the photograph above.
Over the next hour, Paul kept producing treasures from cupboards and boxes. I asked if I might take a photo of him outside the shop and he produced this huge knife made for the Hudson Bay Company.
Out of a box, he produced this lovely old Wilson Bowie.
With evident pride, Paul then brought out a vast Joseph Rodgers catalogue, which I could have happily looked through for the entire day. While I was carefully leafing through the pages, Paul produced a superb Needham Wharncliffe Whittler, with ivory covers and in near mint condition, kindly photographing it for me.
Paul gives talks on the history of table cutlery, and he showed me some of the more interesting and ancient items from the box of Sheffield-made goodies which accompanies him.
Hes only posted a couple of times, but Paul is a member here, so Im hoping that at some point, hell share more of his collection with us. Ill try to get back to the shop to have another look myself very soon
Jack
Last edited:
:thumbup:
:thumbup:
